The Nightmare of Her Dreams
by Mystic Spirit Angel
Summary: Amelia has returned to Halloween Town! Only briefly though. But she flees back to HT after something happens to her in the human world. Then, she suddenly goes missing! Even worse, Oogie and an evil sorceress are out to get Jack and Halloween Town!
1. Prologue: Jack's Introduction

**And _voila! _The Nightmare of Her Dreams is officially posted! Just to put a little twist on things, this time Jack will be the one to introduce the story, with a little help from Elizabeth ;) **

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own The Nightmare Before Christmas or any of its amazing characters. The genius Tim Burton got first dibs. **

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You climb up a dizzying spiral staircase and enter into a rather familiar looking room. It is round with giant windows for walls and several odd things like Halloween decorations everywhere. Your gaze shifts toward a tall, slender, skeleton man in a pinstripe suit who is sitting at his desk with a black leather book in hand. It is none other than Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. His attention averts from the pages of the book and looks up to you.

"Why, hello there! I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in." He laughs sheepishly. He closes the book and sets it aside. He then turns his full attention toward you. "I suppose you're wondering whatever became of Amelia Brave after she left Halloween Town a while back. Well an _interesting_ story it is."

"You see, Amelia did return, though not for very long unfortunately. But that's understandable when she's a stressed college student, no? But what neither of us had expected was that she would later come back, not ever wanting to return to her human life again. Why, you ask? Well let's just say that the past came back to haunt her, so to speak."

Jack's expression turns a little more solemn. "You see…not long after that incident occured, something terrible happened to her. And it was all because years ago she had thrown away her gold locket. Who would have thought that such a mere _trinket_ would lead to so much trouble!" he sighs, "Well, it did and one hectic story would arise out of it…But let me take you back before all of that happened. Back to when she returned, on the night of Halloween after her nineteenth birthday…"

_Jack snaps his fingers and suddenly you are enveloped by a black shadow. You can no longer see anything but eternal darkness. Suddenly, a dim light appears in the distance and keeps growing until you find yourself in a familiar looking forest. You land within a circle of trees with an odd color of bark and a young woman's ghost fades in from the shadows. She stands in the center of the trees, her figure transparent. Her long white gown flows in a nonexistent breeze. Her hair that was once in an elegant bun hung down in loose, messy locks. __Her skin is so pale it's practically white compared to her dark, curly hair. _

_It's the spirit of Elizabeth Brave. She turns toward you and softly, yet loud enough to be heard, she speaks._

_T'was a long time ago, though longer now it may seem,_

_That Amelia once again returned to her Halloween._

_For the story you're about to be told,_

_Began when an old wound revived to take its hold. _

_She discovered a precious object from past years,_

_Only to be introduced to what she most fears._

_And when she and Jack stare into the face of tragedy,_

_They soon discover it will transform their lives dramatically._

_Listen to how these moments in time changed Amelia forever._

_But could it be that these unfortunate events were maybe for the better? _

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Sorry for the shortness ^^; Trust me, the acutal chapters will be longer. Well I hope you all are looking forward to _The Nightmare of Her Dreams_! If I get a lot of reviews, I might post chapter 1 this weekend! *big grin*

**Thank you everyone! -Mystic**


	2. The Return of the Halloween Princess

**Alrighty my lovely readers! Since you were sooo good about getting those reviews in, here's your reward!!! The long awaited chapter 1!!! And for those of you actually reading this, please check out the TNAB website (link on my profile) and click on the 'Stories' tab. Scroll down to _The Nightmare of Her Dreams_ and there you can check out Amelia's new sorceress costume! Plus an updated summary that gives you a further look into what's to come! ;D Thank you all so much!!! **

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A young woman of about nineteen years or so walked through a dense forest in the late evening, the sun's setting rays lighting her way through the trees. She was fairly tall and slender with layered golden brown hair that hit just below her shoulders. Her facial features were gentle, yet had an air of wisdom about them. She wore a stunning silver dress, with almost a metallic shine, which came down to barely at her ankles. It was tattered at the bottom to reveal the black sheer layer underneath, also torn at its ends that brushed against her silver boots. Around her waist was a dark midnight blue belt with a white spider-web pattern, clasped together at the back. From her collar to the side of the dress were black lacings that came down to the belt, the ends tied in a simple bow. It held the outfit together, giving it almost an Asian style. One of the long belled sleeves was attached to the dress with similar lacings while the other was whole yet had the same black ties for decoration. Her long, almost batwing-like collar was attached to the top by a circular metal neckpiece, along with a matching choker. At the base of the collar was a dazzling blue pendant, the same as her vivid eyes. The young woman was quite attractive with her grace and light beauty, even despite her peculiar attire which, however, oddly seemed to be perfectly appropriate for her.

She approached a circle of trees with strange looking bark, and a small smile graced her pale pink lips. She stepped into the center to see that the trunks of the trees had strange pictures drawn on them, each depicting a certain holiday of the year. Her smile brightened when her gaze fell on the tree with a wickedly grinning jack-o-lantern. Slowly, she reached out and turned its nose, which then acted as a door knob, and pulled it open. She was met with the inside of a hollow trunk, but then a low howling sound was heard that suddenly began to grow louder and louder. A black wind carrying vibrant autumn leaves shot out of the trunk and wrapped around the woman. She didn't flinch nor panic as the frightening gust sucked her into the tree, the pumpkin shaped door slammed shut behind her.

She had ventured into a strange dimension unknown to the mortals, save for her. Though, this particular young woman wasn't exactly a _normal_ human.

Light appeared beneath her in what had seemed to be eternal darkness. She was now in an entirely different realm and gently floated to the ground, the soft crunch of the colorful leaves beneath her feet.

"For once I actually landed standing up!" she exclaimed gladly.

Her bright blue eyes then gazed to the dark warped town in the distance. Her expression was a mixture of happiness and relief as she stared into the horizon.

"Finally…" she breathed, "I'm home." Her voice was melodic, almost hypnotizing.

With an excited, hurried pace she quickly made her way down the old dirt path that led into the town off in the distance. She finally made it to the main gate and waved her hand in the direction toward the tower next to it. The giant gear that jutted out of the tall structure began to turn and the old, iron gate slowly rose, allowing her entrance into the city of creeps and crawls. To her surprise, as she walked through the town square, there was no one around. Not a single soul, ghoul, monster, or nightmare in sight.

"Well this is strange, even for Halloween Town." She said aloud as she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Little did she know that behind her, slithering on the ground was a flat black mass quickly approaching her. As she looked around baffled, the dark substance rose into the air, taking on a tall and slender silhouette. A shadowy, claw-like hand reached out toward her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Amelia…" its voice was barely above a whisper, soft enough to almost not be heard. The woman turned and her eyes widened in shock.

"SURPRISE!" the entire town shouted with Jack as he suddenly appeared out of the dark figure, his trademark grin spread wide across his face.

Amelia gasped when she heard many loud popping sounds all around her then suddenly black and orange streamers were everywhere. All of the citizens stepped out of their hiding spots, a few of them blowing horns, and all cheering "Happy Halloween!" The band began playing and everyone was celebrating.

"A surprise Halloween party?" Amelia giggled as she asked.

"For you of course!" Jack exclaimed happily. "It's been exactly ten years since you "dropped in" on our most horrible holiday." He let out an _oof _when she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you so much!" she released him and turned toward the citizens. "Thank you everyone!"

"It certainly is terrible to see you again Princess Amelia." A stout man with a tall top hat greeted as he approached the royal.

"Likewise Mr. Mayor." She beamed. "It certainly is awful to be back!"

"That's the Halloween spirit!" Jack stated and then turned to proclaim to the town. "Alright everyone, it's time for the banquet to begin!"

They all cheered and hastily made their way toward Town Hall.

"A banquet? You certainly went all-out, didn't you?" Amelia smiled putting a hand on her hip.

"Well why not? It's been three years since your last visit, and ten since you stumbled upon Halloween Town. It's the perfect cause for celebration!" He pointed out. His expression changed to surprise when he finally took in her appearance. "Well, well. It seems that our _Little _Terror has grown since we last met."

"I had a belated growth spurt," she shrugged and beamed up at him, "not that I mind." She then crossed her arms and glared at him playfully. "Though, I don't like the fact that I still have to look _up_ to you."

"Not much I can do about that." He shrugged, giving her his signature grin. One eye elongated, implying that he was raising an eyebrow. "You cut your hair." He said as he curiously lifted a few strands.

"Yeah," she giggled, "my long hair was such a hassle that I decided to chop some of it off.

"It looks good on you." He said and he pulled his hand away.

"Thanks." She smiled as a light pink blush appeared on her cheeks.

Jack then politely offered his arm to her, "Shall I escort her highness to the banquet?"

"Yes you may," she laced her arm around his, "your _majesty_." They laughed at the mild joke and began walking toward Town Hall.

'My, she certainly has grown up.' Jack thought to himself when they averted their gazes from each other. 'Nineteen years old and becoming a fine young woman. What am I saying? She _is_ a fine young woman.' He smiled proudly. His thoughts were interrupted by Amelia's sincere voice.

"I've really missed you Jack." She hesitated a moment before adding, "And all of Halloween Town."

"We've missed you too, Amelia." He kindly said, "And absolutely thrilled that you're back." His expression changed as a thought occurred to him. "Oh! I almost forgot." He snapped his fingers and suddenly he was in his old masquerade costume.

"Much more fitting for a formal gathering, don't you think?" he asked with a wink.

"Oh _sure_," she rolled her eyes and smirked, "you just like having the coat that acts like a cape."

"I resent that." He glared playfully, acting hurt. "I merely haven't had the chance to wear it again."

Amelia just laughed.

Inside Town Hall, the long seats were moved out and replaced with several tables, perpendicular to the stage except for one at the front of the room reserved for the Halloween royals and guests of their choosing. Jack and Amelia were seated next to each other in the center, in everyone's view, Doctor Finklestein and the Mayor sitting opposite of them. Also at the head table was the vampire quartet, the two witch sisters, the werewolf, the harlequin demon, a devil, and the clown with the tear-away face. As they were waiting for the food to be brought out, the Doctor decided to make conversation.

"So Amelia, what have you been doing lately in the human world?" he asked trying to hide his curiosity with just mild interest.

"I'm mainly focusing on my studies." She replied, "I'm attending my town's community college."

"_Really_ now?" when it came to a matter of learning, the Doctor was always intrigued. "What are you studying to be?"

"Well, something music related." She laughed sheepishly, "But I'll probably go into music education. Right now I'm attending the community college to get the mandatory classes out of the way before I move onto a university."

"A _university_ eh?" the genius, if slightly mad, scientist laughed. "Not one to turn down a challenge are you? Music is one of the hardest fields to go into is it not?"

"Yes indeed it is." Amelia nodded. "But I am more than willing to work for it."

"Should expect nothing less from our most brilliant heir." The Mayor declared happily.

"Nah." She waved it off being modest, "It's just that music is what I have a passion for."

"Well whatever the case," Jack piped in, "I'm confident that you'll do great."

"Thanks." A light blush splashed across her cheeks, "I need all of the motivation I can get really."

"Come now Amelia, you mustn't doubt yourself," He stated, acting like a mentor, "especially with such an astounding musical talent like yours. Why, you should have nothing to worry about at all."

Her blush intensified a little at his compliment, though she didn't get a chance to respond. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream rang out across the room but no one even flinched. A raspy voice announced that dinner was served and several zombie waiters flooded into the room carrying silver trays with covers. They simultaneously placed one in front of each person at every table and removed the covers to reveal the first course, soup. Then placed cups down and poured a dark colored liquid into them. Then almost as soon as they had come, the zombie waiters quickly filed out of the room.

Before everyone could dig in Jack stood up, immediately gaining the attention of everyone in the room. He then lifted his cup and cleared his throat.

"I would like to propose a toast to Miss Amelia Brave." He proclaimed, "I thank the day she stumbled upon our atrocious holiday for Halloween Town would not be the same without its horrific Princess. To Amelia!"

"To Amelia!" the crowd responded and raised their glasses. Amelia's face went red with embarrassment but was grateful for his kind gesture, even if he was a bit too open about it for her taste.

"Let the banquet begin!" Jack declared and everyone began to eat. He sat back down and was about to dig in when he noticed Amelia's rather peculiar expression.

Amelia had sipped a spoonful of the soup, and looked about ready to gag. However she tried to keep a straight face as to not insult anyone and swallowed hard. Jack had to stifle a laugh. He gave her props for trying but he knew that she had always absolutely despised Halloween Town cuisine, though her expression of obvious distaste was just too humorous.

"Worm's wart!" Doctor Finklestein exclaimed happily as he began to practically gulp down the soup. "My favorite!"

"How do you like it Amelia?" The Mayor asked after tasting it himself.

"I-It's…good…" she managed to say, trying to keep her smile from faltering. Jack struggled not to let out a chuckle.

She quickly grabbed her cup to wash the soup down, but nearly spat it back out at its horrible taste. However, she forced it down her throat and shuddered, coughing a little. A laugh had escaped the skeleton man beside her, who then quickly covered it up by clearing his throat, pretending that it didn't happen. Amelia just glared at him, knowing he found the entire thing amusing. The Mayor and the Doctor exchanged confused glances.

"What's the matter Amelia?" Jack turned toward her with a mischievous smile, "Don't you like the beetle juice?"

"It's not that," she coughed some more, "just went down the wrong pipe." She tried to hide her disgust with a smile. However, he had to bite her tongue to keep herself from saying a comeback knowing that he was teasing her.

The elected official and the slightly mad scientist blinked but then shrugged the whole matter off and went back to their soup.

'Ok, trying to be polite and eat the horrid stuff obviously isn't going to work.' Amelia thought to herself, 'So I guess now would be the appropriate time to put one of my new spells to work.'

She focused on the worm's wart soup and after a moment she blinked and it flashed the color yellow before quickly returning back to its sickly green. This went unnoticed to everyone else at the table except for Jack, who caught her out of the corner of his eye. He had recognized the trick immediately. The sorceress smiled brightly and gladly took another sip of the soup.

'Chicken noodle, _so_ much better!' she thought to herself as she proceeded to finish the dish.

'I don't believe it!' Jack mentally exclaimed. 'She mastered the swapping spell!? She must have greatly improved her sorcery skills in the time she's been gone.'

He continued to finish his soup and noticed yet again an example of her more experienced powers. Amelia performed the same spell, this time focusing on the juice. She blinked and the liquid inside was clear for just a brief second before returning back to its dark color. She then happily took a drink out of it.

'Water beats having that beetle juice any day.' She mentally commented to herself.

The Pumpkin King was just astounded by how effortless it was for her, and she didn't even have to mutter the incantation. It was a sure sign that she was definitely a lot stronger than she used to be.

The rest of the night continued much of the same way. When the other two courses were brought out, Amelia would be respectful and try the food but always ended up changing it into something she considered edible. Jack had to give her props for living up to her name and attempting to eat the food he knew she despised.

Casual conversation continued between the Halloween Town royals, the Mayor, and the Doctor, however most of their talk centered around Amelia's human life. Doctor Finklestein proved to have an insufferable curiosity when it came to the human world. Who could blame him? He was a scientist after all, even if slightly mad.

A while later, everybody had finished their meals and were now casually talking amongst themselves. So, Jack then took it as the opportunity to make his next announcement. He stood up, automatically gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

"Well I do believe that was a most satisfying dinner," he grinned, "so what do you say we let the ball begin?" All of the citizens cheered and took their cues to start exiting Town Hall and enter into the square.

"A b-ball?" The Halloween Princess blinked in confusion as she looked up to Jack.

"But of course!" He beamed and offered his hand to the sorceress to help her out of her seat. "The citizens loved the one you threw and have been _dying_ to have another."

"R-really?" she was in absolute disbelief as he pulled her up.

"Certainly Ami!" he reassured her, happily using her old nickname. "You know, even the Doctor complimented you on such a successful Halloween."

"Yes, but I never thought—"

"Now don't be modest." He said as he took her hand again and began to lead her out of the building. "You are everything this holiday needed, and more. So don't doubt yourself so much and have a good time. It's _your_ party after all." He gave her his signature grin.

"R-right." Amelia had blushed when he grasped her hand, and even more so when he gave her such a wonderful compliment. She honestly didn't think she deserved such high praise, especially after almost ruining the Halloween holiday, _twice_.

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And that's the end of chapter one! I hope you all liked it ^_____^ And if you want to see what Amelia's costume looks like (or if my really long description confused you) then scroll up to the author's notes at the top with instructions on how to see it on the TNAB website! Speaking of which, we're always accepting new members! If you'd like to see your fanart on the site then become a member and all you have to do is ask! =D

**Thank you all so so so so much!! The readers are the ones who drive me to write! :D **


	3. A Little Bit of Mischief

**Ok kiddies, sorry for the long long wait ^^; I had some major issues with this chapter and needed to consult my two betas. Thank you bunches!! You know who you are ;) Anyway, I feel a lot more confident with this chapter now and so it's ready to be posted! **

**Side note, I know Amelia's costume "alteration" should have probably been at the end of chapter 1 but I kinda didn't think of it until I posted it *nervous laugh* But I fixed the beginning so that it sounds more like a beginning. Hope you enjoy!**

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Jack and Amelia were about to walk out of town hall when the sorceress stopped and released his hand. A little taken aback he turned to face her with a questioning glance.

"Before we go…" She snapped her fingers and her dress shortened to her knees, becoming much looser to make it easier to move. Her sleeves receded to her upper forearm and became tattered at their ends. Her striped, black and white stockings lengthened into tights and her silver boots shrunk to flat shoes.

"You're not the only one who can do a costume change." She grinned, putting her hands on her hips. Jack just stood there, a little baffled, but smiled amusedly.

"You always like to show me up, don't you?" He chuckled and then offered his arm to her like before.

"_Maybe_…" she said as she gladly laced her arm around his.

Amelia and Jack were the last to step out onto the square, the King escorting the Princess. As soon as they approached the waiting crowd, a vaguely familiar song began to be played by the band. The two royals glanced at the citizens before looking back at each other. Jack smiled and moved to stand in front of her. He bowed and offered his hand to her. A soft smile graced her lips as well as she curtsied and then accepted his hand. He pulled her close to him and they began to dance.

It was like stepping back in time to their waltz together only three years before. Everything around them seemed to melt away, leaving only each other and the music to guide their steps. They found themselves unable to look away from one another, captured in each other's gaze. Underneath the spell of the music they moved as one, their eerie grace making the dance all the more strangely beautiful. To them it felt as though they were walking on air with an overwhelming sense of serenity and joy surrounding the two. They almost didn't realize the song had come to a close had it not been for the thunderous applause that erupted from the spectators.

Jack and Amelia snapped out of their daze and turned toward the crowd. They cheered and praised, and then the band struck up another song. This time the citizens joined in with the dancing. The Pumpkin King laughed softly and turned toward the sorceress.

"Care for one more dance?"

"Certainly," she smiled happily and took his hand. He pulled her close to him once again and began to lead her in time to the music.

The song was faster with a more "playful" atmosphere, the right kind of song for the foxtrot. Jack was greatly surprised when Amelia began to improvise more complex steps rather than just simple dancing. However, he was more than willing to follow suit. He spun her around then wrapped his arm firmly around her waist and dipped her.

"Your dancing has improved since we last met." He smirked and brought her back up.

"Did you think magic was the only thing I practiced?" she said teasingly. He spun her out then twirled her back into his arms.

"Hm, touché."

They didn't say another word, but their eyes spoke enough for them, daring each other to try a more difficult dance move than the last. Unfortunately for Amelia, Jack won with his ghostly grace and years of experience surpassing her own. But either way, by the end of the number they were both out of breath. Suddenly another round of applause swarmed around them. Apparently some of the others had stopped their own dancing to watch while others had been inspired to do the foxtrot as well. Now many cheered, a few even whistled, for the royals' dance was very much a glorious performance. Another song began to play and the two leaders of Halloween, understandably, decided to sit this one out.

"Well Amelia, you certainly gave me a run for it." Jack stated as they walked to the edge of the square.

"Good, that means those dance lessons are paying off." She grinned triumphantly.

"Dance lessons?" he blinked in surprise but then smiled proudly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're beginning to get a little competitive with me."

"Hmm, possibly." She shrugged, smirking a little, and leaned against a nearby stone wall.

"So when did you decide to take lessons?" he asked curiously.

"Oh it was senior year in high school. I needed to take one more class to fill up my schedule and dance was something new they were offering so I signed up." She explained. "And I'm keeping up with it in college."

"Wow, you must have been a natural." He said assuredly.

"Well, ballroom was easy because I knew how to waltz." She continued, "It was when we got into the more advanced dances that I was just about like everyone else, tripping over my own two feet." She laughed, "I know you probably would have found it quite amusing."

"Ah, still a bit of a klutz then I see." He chuckled as he crossed his arms. She just rolled her eyes. "Well you did just fine out there, wonderful really." He complimented.

"Sure," she averted her gaze and hoped he didn't see the blush starting to creep across her face. "Compared to you, I still have a ways to go."

"Well when you've been dead for nearly two centuries, you got to find a way to kill time." He joked, earning a small giggle from the sorceress. An awkward silence fell on them for a few moments before Jack decided he would speak again, however his plan was foiled when someone came up to him.

"Your dancing was simply horrific Jack." A black cat demon spoke, her voice purring. "It would be a dishonor if I could have the next one."

He was about to reply when a werewolf girl stormed angrily up to the cat.

"Hey no fair! I told you I wanted to ask him!" she growled angrily.

"But he promised _me_ the next one." The swamp monster declared when she approached the two.

"I want the next one!" the witch sisters said in unison when they ran up to the group, and then looked at each other with shocked expressions. "_You_!?"

Jack stood up to try and prevent any uproar, but he was too late. Soon several more women came up and began arguing with each other over who was going to dance with him next. The disgruntled Pumpkin King put his face in the palm of his hand. He glanced over at Amelia who was struggling not to burst out laughing at his despair. Sighing in frustration, he plucked one of the girls from the group, which just so happened to be the cat demon, and headed out to the square. The others glared in anger at the lucky black cat, jealously radiating off of them. The sorceress had clamped her hand over her mouth to subdue her hysterical laughter.

A few insufferable dances later, Jack was finally able to convince the women that he needed a break, and then headed over to where Amelia was sitting on the ledge of the stone fountain. He noticed her innocent smile and immediately knew something was amiss.

"You planned this didn't you?" he glowered, crossing his arms.

"Me? Why I would never do such a thing." The sorceress replied simply, but broke her façade when she laughed at his irritated look. "What can I say?" she shrugged, "It was just my little revenge."

"_Revenge_!?" he exclaimed in total confusion. "Revenge for what!?"

"Oh, I seem to recall a time when we had exchanged meaningless name-calling," she stood up and walked to stand beside him, "until you said something unforgivably vile, and ran out before I could make a comeback."

He blinked and his eyes widened in remembrance. It was the morning of the day she had left three years ago. He had called her 'vampire lover' during a teasing spat. Jack had almost forgotten the whole incident, and was even more surprised that she did not. He was so shocked at how well she had planned her "revenge" that there's no way he could ever have seen it coming.

"So, the great Pumpkin King is _speechless_?" Amelia taunted after he had remained silent for a long moment.

"Wha? H-How? I…I don't believe this!" he managed to say and turned toward her. "You certainly know how to hold a grudge." He was even further confused when she started giggling.

"Ok I lied." She winked at him, "It was actually just a really good coincidence. I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

"Eh!? Wait…D-Did you just trick me!?" he gaped in shock, again.

"Well what do you expect from the Princess of Halloween?" She smirked victoriously and began to walk off. "Also, you could have avoided your fans if you hadn't taken the bait to get you to show off."

Needless to say, Jack was really speechless now. Flabbergasted, he turned and watched her head off across the square.

"I honestly never expected…" he said after a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, he had to give her props for her little plan was cleverly laid out, even if part of it was just pure luck.

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It was around midnight before Amelia and Jack made their way back to his house, considered the sorceress's home-away-from-home. They walked in a comfortable silence, but the Pumpkin King felt he had to break the ice.

"That was a clever trick you pulled off at the banquet, by the way."

"I figured you'd notice." The sorceress laughed sheepishly. "It's a fairly new spell I learned, and trust me when I say it's been put to good use."

"I don't doubt that." He chuckled, then hesitated a moment. "I can tell you've really come far in your sorcery skills."

"Thanks," she beamed, "it was a great way to kill time. But…I think I actually might be close to becoming a master. What do you think?" she asked curiously.

"That could very well be true." He agreed, "Though, there's no certain way to tell, other than surpassing your teacher." He joked.

"Oh? Do I sense a challenge?" she taunted, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I don't know…_maybe_." He teased then laughed, "However, I would like to see for myself just how far you've come."

"I'd like that too." She smiled warmly, but then her eyes became downcast as her expression turned a little sad. "But I don't think we'll get the chance."

"Hm? Why not?" he asked, confused by her sudden statement.

"Well, you see…I can't stay very long." She explained, "A week at the most. I wasn't kidding when I said most of my time has been devoted to studying. My homework load and test prep is insane, and there's the time I have to spend everyday practicing piano."

"My, you really _do_ have your work cut out for you." Jack commented.

"Like you wouldn't believe," the sorceress sighed in exhaustion. "I wish I could stay here forever honestly…" she trailed off, her words surprising him somewhat.

"_Really_?" He arched a would-be eyebrow.

"Yeah, I love this place. It's practically paradise for me." Amelia admitted. "The stresses of my world are starting to wear down on me. But, I just remind myself to stick to it and keep going. It'll be worth it in the end."

"A good word of wisdom there." He smiled proudly.

They entered into the house and went their separate ways. Amelia opened the door to her room and smiled as pleasant memories surrounded her.

"I never know I'd miss this place so much." She sighed in content.

The curtains were closed so she decided to change into her night clothes. She snapped her fingers and her costume was instantly replaced by a flowing black nightgown that hit above her knees. Her sorceress garb, back to its original form, reappeared on a hanger in the closet with her boots beneath it, and her neckpiece and collar materialized on her dresser. However, her pendant reappeared around her neck on a silver chain.

The young woman sat on her black silk bed and let out a deep breath as she gazed out the window. The crescent moon's light poured into her old bedroom, but the calm peaceful glow went ignored by her troubled mind.

"Oh Jack…" she sighed, "Even being gone for so long has done nothing to suppress my true feelings for you. They're as strong as ever, if not even more so."

Her mind wandered to the night exactly three years prior. Sixteen year-old Amelia Brave was trapped inside the house of Alucard Doram Lio, who she found out to actually be Count Dracula. He captured her so she wouldn't escape, and as he was about to bite into her neck, draining her soul, she finally realized the truth within her heart. She was in love with Jack Skellington. Just as that happened, the very same skeleton man barged in and rescued her. Together, they defeated the infamous vampire. She had never forgotten that night, for it still haunted her dreams. The memory of the legend surrounding the Gem of the Armonias coming true when it glowed as it sensed Jack's presence, the one she felt true love for. Now Amelia gently held the necklace in the palm of her hand, gazing at the brilliant stone.

"Is there nothing I can do?" the Armonia asked aloud, "I don't want to lose our precious friendship which I hold so dearly…" Having found no answer to her three-years-long problem, she finally decided to call it a night and go to sleep.

High up in the tower, Jack stood gazing at the moon through his windows.

"Has it really been three years?" he asked no one in particular. "My how time flies." He chuckled to himself, "And in that short amount of time Amelia is almost a master sorceress, in college!" He breathed in astonishment.

"She has grown up so much more…a respectable young woman now." His mind thought back to their waltz together and smiled fondly, "And with her blossomed maturity came a stunning grace and beauty."

His eyes widened and his body stiffened as soon as the words left his mouth, completely in shock at what he said. He felt an awkward tension crawl over him.

"Well I certainly can't deny the fact that she's become quite attractive." Had he any skin on his face, it would have been flushed bright red. He put his forehead in the palm of his hand, embarrassed at the strange occurrence. The skeleton man lifted his head and sighed in exasperation.

"Well I think it's time I got some sleep, and a lot of it at that."

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Hahaha! Awkward moment for Jack *evil giggle* So what did you all think of Amelia's mischievous side? I know I had fun writing it! :D Anyway, reviews make the world go round!!!


	4. Sweet Moments

**How y'all doing!? Well I was super bored, and actually ahead of schedule with typing my chapters *knocks on wood* so I thought I'd update! A big thanks to all of you who have been reading and reviewing!! Here's your reward!**

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It was early afternoon of the next day when Amelia decided she would take a leisurely stroll around town, mainly to find a good place to draw outdoors. Jack had stepped out to attend a meeting with the Mayor so she spent most of the morning by herself. She had been drawing for a while and felt that she could use a change of scenery. As soon as she stepped outside she took in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. The Armonia sighed in content and headed for the town square. After she had been walking for a few minuets a familiar voice called out to her.

"Well if it isn't the Little Terror!" The taller witch sister greeted as she and her sibling flew up to the sorceress on their broomsticks.

"Horrible morning Miss Amelia." The shorter one greeted kindly.

"Horrible morning to you both." The Halloween Princess smiled.

"I suppose you need a new nickname," the first witch flew up closer to Amelia. "Seems you've _grown_ out of _Little_ Terror."

"Didn't you say that the last time she was here?" the more petite sister asked.

"Did I?" the taller of the two siblings shrugged, "Oh well. When you're old as dust you can't expect to remember anything." The sorceress laughed at the witch's small joke.

"Well, I'm quite fond of the nickname." Amelia beamed, "It's special to me and I don't mind if it stays the same."

"Anything for you, our most atrocious Pumpkin Princess." The smaller sister stated gladly.

"Eh, let's just stick to Little Terror." The royal said, cringing at her title which she loathed so much.

She bid the two witches goodbye and continued to meander around town. She greeted the citizens she passed and even stopped to talk with a few. But then three children in costumes approached her and she made certain to keep her guard up.

"Hey Amelia!" the trick-or-treating trio greeted.

"Sorry we didn't get a chance to say hi yesterday." Lock scratched his head sheepishly, taking off his mask.

"But we did see you dancing." Shock stated as she too removed her witch's mask.

"Yeah, you were amazing!" Barrel exclaimed, removing the skeleton face.

"Oh…well, thank you." Amelia responded a little taken aback at the compliment. "So what have you three been doing all this time anyway?"

"You know…the usual." Lock began.

"Pulling pranks on everybody!" Barrel finished and all three burst out into laughter.

"I suppose I should have guessed." The sorceress smiled amusedly.

"You better watch your back by the way." The boy in the devil's costume warned after calming down from the fit of giggles.

"Cause we just might get you next!" Shock cackled.

"You three should be careful about just _who_ you pick on." Amelia stated as she turned and began to walk away. "You might end up in _way_ over your heads."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Lock scowled as he took a few steps toward her, but then felt something tug on his costume's tail and heard two distinct yelps from behind him. He turned to see his comrades flat on their backs, his tail wrapped around an ankle on each of them.

Amelia didn't even turn around to see what had happened, yet a mischievous smirk spread across her lips.

The fallen trick-or-treaters got up glaring at their fellow cohort accusingly, but he hastily shook his head and pointed to the sorceress walking off. They watched her for a moment before exchanging glances, evil grins spreading across their twisted faces. They snickered mischievously, putting their masks back on, and ran off in the opposite direction that Amelia had gone.

The Princess of Halloween made her way further into the square toward the fountain with the grotesque statue and sat on its ledge. She took in the peaceful view and decided that this would be her spot to draw. The Armonia snapped her fingers and a pencil materialized in her hand as a sketch book appeared in her lap. She flipped a few pages until she came to a clean sheet and began to sketch.

A short while later, Jack stepped out of Town Hall after the meeting with the Mayor and noticed Amelia sitting on the edge of the fountain. He was about to call out to her when he noticed her focused expression and a drawing pad in her hand. Not wanting to disturb her, the skeleton man quietly made his way over to the sorceress but stopped when he was next to a nearby wall. He decided that was close enough and just leaned up against the stone structure. Curiously he watched her, observing her pencil strokes against the paper, however from his viewpoint he couldn't tell what she was sketching. An amused smile crossed his lips when her expression changed from content to disgust and she hastily erased something she drew. Jack chuckled softly to himself for it seemed Amelia never grew out of her perfectionist habits.

After a while or so the determined artist finally finished, giving her work an approving look. She stood up, turned around, and was surprised to see Jack nearby. He had turned his head away just in time so their eyes didn't meet and then pretended to have just noticed her.

"Hello Amelia." He waved and casually strode up to her. He wasn't sure why he acted as though he hadn't seen her, but he didn't want to seem intruding. When he walked up to her, Jack glanced at her closed sketchbook and then back up at the sorceress.

"Drawing I see, what have you been working on?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing." She hastily said and her hand shot up to clutch the gem at the base of her collar. She had a feeling that it was about to start glowing and quickly covered it beforehand.

"Um…nothing special that is." She added, "Just…backgrounds." An idea suddenly popped into her head and she smiled. "But I do have something I drew this morning that you might like."

Sensing that the glow had stopped, she moved her hand from the gem to flip a few pages of the sketch pad and turned it so he could see. It was a pencil drawing of Zero sleeping in his tiny basket.

"Wow Amelia, this is amazing!" he examined it more carefully. "It's practically a photograph!"

"What? Really?" She blinked in surprise.

"Yes! I'm surprised he stayed still long enough for you to draw him." The skeleton man chuckled.

"Yeah," The sorceress giggled a little, "I kept repeating in my head 'don't move, don't move, don't move.'"

Jack laughed and gazed back at the picture for a moment. "Your artistic ability still astounds me." He beamed. "How long have you been drawing, by the way?"

"Oh, I enrolled in a beginner class my freshman year in high school." She stated as she recalled the memory.

"Really now? I would have assumed you've been drawing since before you could write." He joked, making her laugh a little.

"Well I had a rough start. After a year or so I could draw inanimate objects but people and animals were still the toughest. I only recently approved of my ability to draw living things." She closed her sketchbook. "But honestly I'm not all that great. These are stick figures compared to the work of the art students I've met at college."

"I still think it's splendid." He complimented, making her blush a little. He found her modesty amusing.

In the back of his mind, he noted an odd feeling he had, but couldn't quite describe it. All he knew was that he felt it whenever he was around her, and it was gone when he wasn't with her. However, he pushed the thought aside when she spoke again.

"Thank you Jack." Amelia smiled warmly, her light blush still intact.

In truth, she had lied to him about just drawing backgrounds. Her mind had wandered as she drew earlier and didn't even realize what she had sketched until she was finished. A drawing of Jack in his masquerade costume was on the sheet of paper, and her heart had leapt when she noticed that her subject had been standing only a few feet away.

For the rest of the day Amelia and Jack spent it remembering old times and just simply catching up since they hadn't had the opportunity yesterday. Unfortunately for the Armonia, she had to cover her pendant on a few occasions and made up odd excuses for suddenly doing so. The skeleton man was slightly confused whenever she did, but simply shrugged it off.

--

The following day, Amelia decided to explore her room to find things from her treasured past.

"I know I put them in here somewhere." She grumbled as she dug through the chest of drawers. "Aha!" She pulled out several slightly aged papers with sketches of the town and a hastily written speech scrawled onto a piece of scrap. It was her old plans for the Halloween celebration. She glanced over them and smiled as she remembered feeling so rushed while putting everything together. She was supposed to come up with a completed idea to present to the citizens the very same night she had returned to Halloween Town, no thanks to the Pumpkin King for it was the result of one of his many spontaneous ideas.

"Jack and his random impulses." The sorceress rolled her eyes and giggled.

She then glanced at the top of her dresser, stood up, and snapped her fingers. An ornate black box suddenly appeared. Amelia smiled warmly as she set the papers down and then opened the lid of the box. An all too familiar melody began to play and she sat down on the edge of her bed to savor the sound. Her cerulean blue orbs shined as the memory of her birthday resurfaced. Her fingers then barely brushed against the blue stone at the base of her collar, remembering when Jack had placed the pendant around her neck.

"I never will get over you, will I?" Amelia gave a disgruntled sigh. "What if…What if I _do_ tell him the truth? I'm not a child anymore, and I would like him to know…" She let out a deep breath and shook her head, "No, too much time has passed, and I've only just returned to Halloween Town. If I told him now…it would be too sudden. I would be turned down for sure." Her eyes were downcast, a sad expression across her gentle features.

The sorceress decided to knock herself out of her gloom by doing something she always did when she's down. She left her bedroom and walked down the hallway until she came to a door. Gently grasping the knob, she carefully pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Amelia found herself looking at her reflection in a wall of mirrors. Her ocean blue eyes scanned the room and lit up when they spotted the beautiful grand piano at the other end of the room. Feeling a rush of excitement coursing through her veins, she hurried over to the wonderful instrument and sat down on the black wooden bench. She gingerly lifted the cover and lightly placed her fingers upon the white keys. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled to relax. Then, she began to play Beethoven's famous piece Fur Elise.

The gentle, peaceful, and serene melody filled the room as well as the pianist's soul. She felt completely at ease as she let the music envelop her, her hands dancing across the keys. She was so focused on the music she didn't even realize that she was no longer alone in the room. Amelia hit the final notes and let the sound slowly decay before gently lifting her hands off the piano.

"Your musical skills have also greatly improved." A masculine voice spoke, causing Amelia to gasp in surprise and whip her head toward the person. Jack was leaning against the wall near the door with his trademark smile across his face.

"I really shouldn't be surprised by your sudden appearances anymore." She joked.

"That just proves you've been gone too long." He beamed and walked over to her. "May I?" he gestured to sit next to her.

She arched an eyebrow in slight confusion but moved further down the bench to make room. He sat down and let one bony hand grace the keyboard and played a few notes. Her eyes widened with interest so she struck a couple notes as well. To her surprise, he repeated the melody exactly. She played a different tune and again he copied it flawlessly. Jack then brought up his other hand and began to play a song. Amelia recognized it and followed suit with a countermelody. The piece was classical but with a relatively fast pace. Their music flowed together seamlessly and effortlessly. Needless to say, the Armonia was shocked to find that he could play the piano, and so well! The song came to a close and she couldn't help but state the obvious.

"I didn't know you could play!"

"What, did you think this fine instrument was in here for show?" he laughed. "It's a skill my father taught me. He was quite gifted."

"You learned from your father?" She repeated in further surprise and he gave an affirm nod.

"He was proud to find that his own son was a prodigy." The skeleton man beamed.

"Oh quit bragging." She playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"What can I say? He loved to be the center of attention and I inherited that personality trait." Jack grinned, "Plus, his talent was how he charmed my mother, and he hoped one day I would do the same for a special someone."

Amelia just rolled her eyes and glared a little, "You know, you just totally killed the mood with your arrogance." She retorted and he just laughed.

"I'm only teasing." He winked.

"I notice you've been doing that more than usual lately." She arched an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Funny, I thought you were doing the same." He taunted, "I'm just simply returning the favor."

"Oh _sure_, like you _don't_ enjoy tormenting me." She stated sarcastically.

"Now that's just harsh." He replied with a mock-hurt expression.

"I see right through your little façade." She said as she stood up, and then whispered in his ear. "Scaredy Skeleton."

He quickly turned around only to find her gone. He slouched a bit and laughed a little.

"The nerve of that girl, she certainly has a sharp tongue." He retorted. Jack sat up straight and crossed his arms in thought.

'The feeling is gone.' He mentally commented to himself. 'Why does it disappear when she does? And what is it anyway?' His would-be eyebrows furrowed as he contemplated possible answers, but he never came to any conclusions. With a sigh, he stood and made his exit. When he stepped into the door frame, he glanced back into the room for a moment.

'Something is odd about this room,' he thought, 'but I can't place what it is…' He then shrugged it off and left.

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**Jack can't resist showing off now can he? XD I hope you all enjoyed it!! Please review!**


	5. Claire

**Alrighty folks, you guys are such wonderful readers I decided to update today! =D Now, this is the part of the story where things begin to get interesting hee hee. Speaking of which, when you're done, check out the sneak peek of the next chapter at the TNAB website! (Link on my profile) **

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"Are you certain you can't stay?" Jack asked when he and Amelia entered into a familiar circle of trees within the forest outside of town. "Time has stopped for your world, so there really isn't a reason to rush."

"I'm sorry but I must leave." The sorceress stated. The day had finally come, her week was up, and Jack had been trying every trick in the book to persuade her to stay just a while longer.

"The more time I spend here, the more I become extremely tired on the other side." She explained, "I slept for practically three days straight last time."

"Well you had been running an entire holiday then, now you're simply enjoying yourself. It's practically a vacation!" he beamed.

"Halloween Town ruler or not, I have to go." Amelia said with a tone that could only belong to a true royal. She looked up to him sadly and her voice calmed, "Believe me, I wish I could stay…I love this place more than anything in the world, but my human life is getting in the way." She joked and then brightened up, "I promise I'll come back soon though."

"Oh, alright." He finally gave in, crossing his arms. "But you still have to keep up with your letters. Once a week at least."

Amelia just rolled her eyes and smiled, "Yes oh horrible king." She bowed.

"Ha, ha. Now _that's_ original." Jack retorted sarcastically, putting a hand on his hip.

"Yes and it never gets old." Amelia said cheerfully as she came back up with a big grin across her face. Jack couldn't help but chuckle a little. A distant barking echoed throughout the forest and quickly drew closer to the pair. The loyal ghostly canine, Zero, skidded to a stop and yipped sadly at Amelia, as if pleading for her not to go.

"I'm sorry Zero, but I simply can't stay." She smiled sadly. "Like I said, I promise to return soon." The spectral dog whimpered and nuzzled her face. She scratched his misty ears and kissed his glowing jack-o-lantern nose.

"Miss you already." A half-smile graced her features.

She turned back to Jack and suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, surprising him, but he gladly returned the gesture. Just as they let go, the sorceress noticed a familiar glow coming from the base of her collar. She hastily grasped it to shield the light and turned on her heel toward the door, silently praying the skeleton man now behind her hadn't noticed.

"Goodbye." She breathed remorsefully as she looked over her shoulder at her two dearest friends. She turned back and slowly opened the pumpkin-shaped door. A low howling sound was heard from deep within the trunk, growing louder, and then suddenly a black wind shot out of the tree. It wrapped around the sorceress, drawing her inside, and then the door slammed shut behind her.

"Goodbye…Amelia." Jack said barely above a whisper and transfixed his gaze to his feet, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and slowly trudged back home with Zero gloomily following suit.

On the other side of the gateway, the Armonia sorceress landed gracefully on the ground. She looked out at the distance through the canopy of the trees and saw the slowly setting sun. Beautiful warm colors painted the sky as stars began to fade into the night sky, faintly twinkling. The peaceful, serene atmosphere contradicted the inner turmoil going through the young woman's mind.

"Jack…What I said was only half-true…" She spoke sadly as she removed her hand from her pendant, the soft glow still present. "But I can't stay because…I'm falling even more in love with you." She clenched her eyes shut as she felt a horrible ache in her chest. "I just can't risk it!"

A single tear slid down her cheek as she sprinted off down the old path out of the forest.

Later that night, Jack was lying in bed simply gazing up at the ceiling for sleep had fled him. All he could think about was Amelia and how much he wanted to see her again. During the past week he had acted rather odd around her. He would strike up random conversations just to talk with her, and he'd always try to just be around her because nothing else seemed to matter. He had no idea what caused him to be like that and it was driving him insane trying to figure out the answer. Only thing that he was certain of is that now he missed Amelia greatly and had to do something about it.

--

It the town of Samhain, the undiscovered Armonia sorceress got ready for sleep in her apartment, which she shared with her best-friend-since-elementary-school, Claire. Neither had wanted to stay in the dorms at the community college so they put their funds together and rented an apartment. They both have jobs to pay off the bills and have been surviving on their own since August.

Now, Amelia sat on her bed wearing a pair of long dark blue pajamas with a sun, moon, and star pattern on it. She was alone in her dark room, save for the small bedside lamp she had turned on. In her hand she held a stunning blue pendant which shimmered in the light and she simply stared at.

"You're becoming a hassle." The sorceress grumbled as she glared at the piece of jewelry.

The Gem of the Armonias would glow whenever she was near the one she felt true love for and only if she remotely reminded of how she felt toward him. It amazed her how such a, supposedly, powerful race of sorcerers would endow the gem with such an odd ability, which was practically as a curse. The Armonia heaved a deep sigh.

"Thank goodness he doesn't know what the glowing means, or anyone else for that matter."

"Know what?" a feminine voice entering the room asked curiously, startling Amelia.

"Claire! Could you knock!?" The girl with a double-life yelled, hiding the pendant behind her back.

"You know, you never told me where you got that necklace of yours." Claire said, completely ignoring her statement. She was tall with shoulder length dark brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore plain green pajamas that draped over her thin, well-exercised body, which indicated she was an athlete. Her hazel colored eyes bore into Amelia's blue ones, expecting an answer.

"Eh, erm…I _didn't_? Really?" The ocean-eyed girl asked in disbelief, but only to buy time.

"_No_…" Claire drew out the word, suspecting that her roommate was hiding something. She then sat down next to her and looked at her with a hurt expression. "How could you not tell your best friend?"

"Oh there you go playing the _friend_ card again." Amelia retorted and they laughed.

"Ok, but seriously, where did you get it?" The dark brunette insisted.

"Well, it was a birthday present from a friend of mine." The sorceress-in-disguise hesitantly began to explain. "He gave it to me when I turned sixteen."

"_Oh_ so it's a _guy_." Claire grinned mischievously while Amelia mentally slapped herself for letting that detail slip. "Is he an ex?"

"What!? No!" The secretive girl waved her hands in defense. "He's just a friend!"

"_Right_…" Her roommate obviously didn't believe her. "You're in denial, that means you like him."

"Yeah…I mean no!!" The young woman with the troubled love life yelled.

"Haha, got you." The dark brunette winked. "So who is he?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know him." Amelia tried to wave it off.

"Try me." Claire dared.

"Eh, he lives several towns away." The girl being questioned pointed out.

"So how do you know him?" the suspicious best friend asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Uh…he's a friend of the family.

"How long have you known him then?"

"Ten years." Thankfully one of the few questions she could answer honestly.

"Childhood friends then?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"And his name is?"

"Jack." Amelia slapped her hand over her mouth, blushing slightly, while Claire just pointed and laughed.

"Got you again!" She cheered.

"Sh-shut up!" Her interrogated friend crossed her arms and glared, not realizing the splash of pink across her cheeks darkened.

"Is he cute?"

"Claire!"

"You're blushing."

"N-no I'm not!"

"Liar." Claire smirked, "Have you asked him out yet?"

"Will you shut up!?" Amelia shouted and threw a pillow at her, to which the tall girl easily caught.

"Judging by how defensive you're being, I'd say he has no idea you like him. Am I right?" She then grinned triumphantly when her friend remained silent and turned her head away as her blush deepened.

"You haven't changed at all since high school." Claire laughed, leaning back putting her weight on her arms behind her. "Never confessing to your crushes."

"Well I meant it when I said we're good friends." The flustered young woman finally relaxed somewhat and turned back toward her. But her eyes became downcast with a saddened look. "I don't want to risk hurting our friendship."

"Yeah, but you'll never find out if he's _the one_ until you take that risk. Matter of fact, you'll never find Mister Right if you don't take any risks." The dark brunette pointed out and Amelia just groaned.

"Why do you always have to make sense?" She complained.

"'Cause I'm your best friend. It's my job." The tall young woman stated bluntly.

"Well," the light brunette sighed, "I won't be seeing him for a while anyway, so I'm not going to fret over it."

"Alright, suit yourself." Claire shrugged and stood up. "I'm going to turn in for the night. See ya bright and early for class tomorrow." She laughed when she got an irritated groan in response.

--

The next morning, Jack sat at his desk in the tower, gazing at a picture of Amelia. Her eyes and smile were bright and happy. It was one of the few photographs of herself the sorceress actually even liked. She was never much for having her picture taken, but this particular one was of when she was a senior at Samhain High School. She had sent it to Jack in one of her many letters and she wrote that she expected one of him in return, jokingly of course. Jack chuckled to himself as he recalled the letter. He had never sent a picture of him simply because there was none. He didn't have a camera and all of the photos of when he was alive were buried somewhere in either his old estate or with whatever Skellington descendants that were still living.

"This is madness." He suddenly spoke in irritation. "I've never missed her this much before! What about you Zero?" he turned toward his loyal companion. "Do you find yourself missing her more than usual?"

The ghostly canine cocked his head to the side and gave his version of a shrug. Jack sighed in exasperation, his head falling forward to gaze straight down at his desk.

"I don't know why…but I feel like I _need_ to see her again." He said to himself, more or less. "It's almost as if…as if something was…_missing_." He shook his head.

"Nah, I'm kidding myself." He shrugged, "I'm just being selfish. She had a good reason for leaving," he paused, "sort of…" Jack stood and began pacing.

"I just don't get it." He crossed his arms, "I really don't see any reason why she couldn't stay longer. College life must be really eating at her if she's thinking about her schedule all the time." He fisted one hand and slammed it into the palm of the other as a thought came to him.

"She did not give herself enough time to relax. The girl needs a distraction." He put his hands on his hips and nodded curtly, but then his determined expression faltered a bit. "But what can I do? It's not like I can just pop over to the human world and pay her a visit." He laughed, but then gasped as the invisible light bulb above his head clicked on. "Or _can_ I?"

Jack hastily raced down the spiral staircase and dashed out his front door, hurrying down the road to the large observatory.

Doctor Finklestein diligently worked on an experiment, his assistant Igor handing him the needed tools. The slightly mad scientist pulled down his special optical microscope to examine his progress.

"Hmm…scalpel." He held out his hand an Igor handed him the said tool. He was about to make an adjustment when an incredibly loud bong rang throughout the laboratory. He accidentally dropped the scalpel and groaned in frustration.

"What now?" He complained and wheeled himself over the ledge overlooking the front of his home and looked down toward the entrance.

"The door is open!" he called trying to hide is slightly irked tone.

"Hello!?" The Pumpkin King beckoned as he stepped inside.

"Jack Skellington! Up here my boy!" The slightly mad scientist greeted brightly.

"Doctor, I need to borrow that spell book of yours!" Jack called up as he began to ascend the spiral ramp up into the main part of the house.

"Is that so? Whatever for?" Doctor Finklestein inquired as the skeleton man neared the top of the incline.

"I'm going to use a special spell for next year's Halloween, but it's a rather complicated one. I require the incantation for it and need to conduct a few test runs to make sure I get it right." The Pumpkin King explained, hoping that the genius, if slightly mad, scientist didn't sense his lie.

"Oh how perfectly marvelous! Indeed you wouldn't want to cause a catastrophe." The doctor chuckled.

"I know." Jack replied rather dryly.

"Come on into the lab and we'll get that book." Doctor Finklestein stated as he turned around and led Jack into the laboratory.

Later, Jack returned home and immediately headed up to the tower.

"Zero, I'm home." He called as he ascended the spiral staircase into his room. He set the book down on his desk and flipped the pages until he came across the spell he was looking for.

"This is it." He muttered to himself and started to rush around his room, pulling out odd objects, bottles of bizarre looking liquids, and other strange items. The sorcerer piled them all on his desk then brought out a small black cauldron and carefully began to put the ingredients into it.

After a few hours, Jack finally completed the potion and it was ready. He pointed his hand toward the spell book and gestured for it to come over to him. It levitated off of his desk and floated over to him above the cauldron. Its pages flipped to the spell and Jack read the incantation aloud.

"_Tribuo mihi voluntas. Tribuo mihi viscus. __Tribuo mihi clementia._"

The foul liquid in the cauldron began to bubble, putrid fumes began to emit from it, and started to glow an eerie green. The sorcerer grabbed a cup off of his desk and slowly scooped up the potion. He gulped nervously as his face twisted in disgust at the mere sight of the repulsive goop.

"Oh well," he sighed, "Bottom's up." Jack hesitated a moment before swallowing the contents whole.

His eyes went wide as he began to cough and gag, thus dropping the cup. It shattered into thousands of tiny fragments when it collided with the ground. The skeleton man put his hands around his neck and doubled over, then fell to his knees. He was enveloped by a green light and only the silhouette of his body could be seen. Suddenly his figure began to transform taking a new shape.

Zero cowered behind a chair as he watched in fear, terrified of what was happening to his master and friend.

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**XD I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it! I'm pretty sure you all have taken a liking to Claire lol! In a way, she's all of you readers put into a character, plus the personality of my friends who annoy me about my own love-life XD **

**Oh my, just what on earth is Jack doing!? Well you'll just have to wait and find out! ;D What's this? Eager to read more about what happens? Then check out the sneak peek of the next chapter on the "Sneak Peeks & Fun Facts" page at the TNAB website!**


	6. Surprise!

**Since you guys are just so incredibly awesome, I decided to update a day early! =D Plus I was just so excited about this chapter that I couldn't keep from posting it any longer XD I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it!! And as an added bonus, it's two pages longer than most of my chapters! **

**If you'd like to see Amelia's waitress outfit, then check out the gallery at the TNAB website, I just posted two pictures the lovely Elin drew! =D ****Also, Elin's casual entry from the _TNHD Costume Design Contest_ is Amelia's outfit described in the first paragraph ^_^ You can check out the Contest Entries gallery on the website to see it! **

**Author's Note: I do not support drinking(alcohol) in any way shape or form, I do not support minors going to bars. It's in the story because it's vital to the plot. Just saying, you can read about it, just don't do it. **

**Now, on with the story!**

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Amelia trudged along the sidewalk wearing normal human clothes, which consisted of a pale green t-shirt with long light blue sleeves underneath, and a pair of faded blue jeans which she had doodled music notes all over with a sharpie. Her shoulder length light brunette hair was done up in a ponytail, but a few short strands dangled in front of her face, much to her annoyance. Carefully she balanced a massive pile of books in her arms while trying to keep her backpack from slipping off her shoulder. Her tired expression lit up when she saw Claire standing outside of their apartment complex.

"Oh thank goodness, you got my text message." Amelia practically cried with joy as she approached her best friend.

"Good grief, you're taking way too many classes girl." Claire stated in exasperation as she grabbed most of the pile of books, leaving the drained teenager to carry only two. Now with a newly freed hand, Amelia adjusted her falling backpack back onto her shoulder.

"Why don't you use both straps? That's kind of the point of there being two." The taller young woman pointed out.

"Because one broke." The light brunette replied, laughing sheepishly.

Claire just rolled her eyes and shook her head before following her roommate up to their apartment. Once inside, she deposited the massive stack of books onto Amelia's desk and let out a deep breath.

"Looks like you have a long night ahead of you." She commented, feeling a little sorry for her friend.

"You have _no_ idea. On top of _that_," she gestured to her pile of homework, "I have to work tonight!"

"Can't you ask for the night off?" the dark brunette questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"No…" the overworked student grumbled. "I did the same thing last week…"

"Well then, I suggest you get started." Claire sighed, "I need to head out to La Petite Café anyway, I'm working the afternoon to evening shift, so I'll let you be."

"Alright, see you later then." Amelia said a little saddened that she'd be alone, but it was for the best. They said their goodbyes and the tall brunette left, leaving her roommate to tackle the atrocious homework load.

Around eight o'clock later that evening, Claire returned to find her friend getting ready for work.

"Make any progress?" She asked as she plopped into a chair.

"Yeah, I got a good chunk of it done." Amelia replied as she fastened the buckles on her black and pink shoes. "Ugh I hate this outfit." She groaned and stood up in front of a mirror to fix her hair.

"You just hate it because it's pink and has a skirt." Claire snickered.

"Oh be quiet." The grumbling teenager had turned to glare at her friend for a second, and then turned back to her reflection. She wore a pink waitress dress that hit just a few inches above her knees and lace decorated the edge of the skirt. The sleeves were short and a little puffy. Her collar was black, along with the buttons down the front, as well as the apron which tied in the back into a thin bow. On her top, just below her collar bone, were the initials MS embroidered decoratively with black thread in a cursive design. Amelia was a waitress at a local club called _Moonlight Sonata_.

"If it weren't for the pay and the musicians, I'd quit." Amelia said irritably, grabbed her keys, and walked out the door. She slipped into her small, plain, silver car and drove to work.

The Moonlight, as it was also called, was not only a dance club but a bar and restaurant all in one. It wasn't a horrible job and it had decent pay, the only downfall was the hours she had to work which often went into early morning. But what she loved about the place was that they hired local musicians and comedians to provide entertainment. Amelia had wanted to perform the club's namesake on the piano they had, but sadly was always denied the opportunity. Most of the customers came in for the garage bands that got up on the stage, not for classical music. Well, at least that was her take on why her boss hadn't let her play yet.

Amelia parked about a block away from the club because normally it was hard to find a spot in the parking lot around the place in the evening. She walked through the main door and was met with the sound of loud rock music and the sight of most of the customers keeping time by clapping. Indifferent to the commotion, she walked through the restaurant up to the bar.

"Hey Lori." She greeted the assistant manager behind the counter. Lori was like family to her, and had managed to get her the waitress job in the first place.

"Amelia! I'm so glad you're here." Lori beamed. She was a middle-aged woman with dark curly brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was roughly Amelia's height and her brown eyes were lit up with happiness. "Things really picked up after the band started playing."

"Who's the band anyway?" the waitress inquired.

"Oh, I think there name was something like…The Black Vipers?" she responded uncertainly.

"The Black Vipers!? Really!?" Amelia quickly turned on her heel to look toward the stage. There were four guys all decked out in black gothic-like apparel. Two were playing bass, one on the drums, and the last playing the lead guitar and singing the main vocals.

"They're a popular local band right? From Samhain High?" Lori asked when she noticed the employee had recognized the name.

"Yeah!" Amelia turned back to her, "My friend is a member, Daniel, the one playing the red bass guitar."

"Well that's cool! Why don't you get him to convince the others to let you play with them?" the assistant manager winked.

"Nah," the waitress laughed, "they don't need a pianist. I don't know that many of today's _popular_ songs anyway."

"Girl you are way too modest." Lori put her hands on her hips as if to make a point. "I know very well that you can learn just about any song you want so don't be selling yourself short."

"Ah, well…" Amelia laughed sheepishly, "I'm not a band member I'm a waitress so I'd better get to work." With that, she went over to the cashier counter, grabbed a pad of paper and a few pencils, and then went over to a table where some new customers had sat down in the restaurant. Lori crossed her arms and shook her head, but her eyes narrowed in thought before she went back to work herself.

A while later, Amelia was coming back from the kitchen carrying drinks on a tray and walked over to the customers sitting around a large table. She was setting the beverages down when a voice spoke to her and she had to suppress the annoyed look that threatened to cross her features.

"Hey there sugga." A drunken man's voice slurred. "Why don't we swing a couple back… and head towards my place?"

She turned to look at the man at the opposite end of the table thankfully, who had a big grin plastered across his face and his eyes bloodshot.

"I'm sorry Eddie, but I can't. I'm working tonight." Amelia said politely, but then bitterly thought to herself, 'When will you realize the answer is going to be no? This is the _hundredth_ time!'

"Aw c'mon sweetie," he said, his drunken eyes pleading, "How's about…Eddie gets ya a beer…and you reconsider?"

"How about no."

"A date later then?"

"No."

"Why not!?" he whiled loudly, ignoring the annoyed looks of his friends at the table.

"Because I'm busy. Between my job and school, I have no social life." Unfortunately, what she said was true.

"A good-lookin' chic like you…should have a man…just flirt with yer boss…to let you off…I wan another beer!" Eddie nearly fell out of his seat when he shouted.

"I think you've had enough for one night." Amelia stated bluntly, taking a few steps back to make her leave.

"If I could rearrange the alphabet…I'd but U and I together." The drunkard grinned.

"Yo Ed," one of his buddies finally piped up after guzzling down his drink. "Leave the girl alone. This is like the hundredth time she's turned you down."

"Ah whatever." Eddie slurred, and then thunked his head against the table, rattling the other drinks.

"Sorry 'bout him." One of the more sober guys handed her a five-dollar tip.

"Eh it's alright, thanks." She said and graciously took the money. "It's just a usual Thursday."

"Yeah unfortunately." He said. "That'll be it for us tonight, well, at least for him." He gestured to Eddie still passed out with his face against the table.

Amelia nodded and walked off, carrying the empty tray under her arm. One of the other waitresses noticed her walking by with an irritated expression.

"So did Eddie give you his regular come-on?" She asked, trying to suppress a giggle.

"Yeah." Amelia replied dryly. "Of all the waitresses, why did he choose _me_ to be the one he hits on all the time?"

"Because you're fun to pick on." Her co-worker beamed.

"So I've heard…" the annoyed waitress grumbled, glaring back at the table of drunken men.

A short while later the Black Vipers finished playing, packed up their stuff, and headed into the restaurant section of the club. They all sat down in a corner booth and Amelia happily walked up to them. She and the boys were friends but the band members were all a year younger than her, currently seniors at Samhain High School.

"Hey guys!" She greeted cheerfully.

"What's up Amelia!?" One of the guys greeted.

"How's it going, pinky?" Another grinned cheekily.

"Well I was about to offer you all a free round of soda on the house, until Daniel opened his mouth." She gestured toward him with a slightly annoyed expression. Said young man was on the receiving end of several glares and a few punches in the shoulder. Amelia laughed in amusement.

"Thanks guys, that makes up for it. I'll go get your drinks." She brought out her pad and pencil. "The usual?"

"Yep!" The lead singer answered with a toothy grin. The guys were regulars even before they created the band.

Amelia turned on her heel and went into the kitchen. Soon after she brought out several sodas carefully balanced on a tray in her arms. But when she neared the table, her foot hit a slick spot on the floor and began to slip.

"Wah!" She yelped, but quickly regained her footing barely preventing the drinks from falling. The boys laughed and jeered while Amelia just shot them all fiery glares.

"Smooth move Amelia." Daniel snickered.

"Oh yeah?" She set the tray down on the table and put her hands on her hips. "I'd like to see _you_ put on a skirt and balance drinks on a tray while wearing _these_ shoes." She gestured to her feet.

All of the other guys at the table _ooh_-ed him and a few called out "Burn!" Daniel just gave them all an irritated look and crossed his arms. But then he just laughed and shrugged it off.

"If you guys want anymore, feel free to put it on his tab." Amelia winked gesturing to the bass player who just didn't seem to be getting a break anytime soon. They all laughed and the waitress left them to tend to other customers.

A few hours passed, the band had left long ago, and it was midnight when a strange man entered the club by himself. He was quite tall, hair as black as the night sky, and stunning emerald green eyes with a slight eerie look to them. He was slender with an attractive face, but with a somewhat confused expression as he scanned the restaurant. He wore dark navy blue jeans, black shoes, and a black leather jacket over a dark red t-shirt. Shrugging, he sat down at one of the small tables and watched the solo guitarist who was playing on the stage. Amelia had watched the man since he walked in and was oddly intrigued. She started to walk over to him, but one of the other waitresses beat her to it. So she hung back near the kitchen door and caught up with the girl after she came out with his order, which apparently was just a soda.

"Hey, who's that guy you served?" Amelia asked curiously.

"I don't know, but he's cute!" The girl giggled then sighed dreamily. "And he has a voice to _die_ for." She squeaked in excitement then hurried back over to the customer to give him his drink.

Amelia stared at the strange man a moment before going back to work. Just a few short minutes after she had snapped out of her daze, she saw Lori out of the corner of her eye hastily running toward her.

"Good news! You get to play!" She said excitedly.

The waitress nearly dropped the tray of food she was holding but quickly caught herself after balancing in a strange pose.

"W-What!?" She stuttered in disbelief and set the tray down on the empty table next to her.

"You can play Moonlight Sonata tonight!" Lori cheered.

"Eh!? Now!?" Amelia's eyes were wide in shock.

"Yeah! That guitar guy is finished so get up there kid!" The assistant manager pushed her toward the stage.

"B-But what about that order I had? Can I at least change first?" The teen asked, her nerves starting to take hold.

"I'll take care of that tray of food, and sorry but the boss says you got to wear your uniform. It's for advertising purposes." Lori stated much to the waitress's dismay. "But hey you get to play finally!"

"True, I love the piano a _lot_ more than _this_ outfit." Amelia laughed.

"Ok, enough dawdling. Get up there before he changes his mind." The manager shooed her.

"Alright, alright." The musician giggled happily and was about to make her way over to the stage but stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Thanks Lori." She beamed gratefully.

"You're welcome Amelia, now hurry up and break a leg!" she said cheerfully.

The college student hurried over to the stage and casually walked over to the upright piano. She faced the audience and bowed before speaking.

"I am Amelia Brave and tonight I will play for you the first movement of Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven."

Just as she was about to sit down, her eyes caught sight of the strange man and he was gazing at her. Half the room had their eyes on her, but even from such a distance his emerald orbs captivated her. There was something about him that felt vaguely familiar, but she didn't have much time to think on it because she realized she had paused a second too long. The musician quickly sat down, mentally prepped herself, and began to play.

There was something magical about her music that slowly entranced everyone in the room, even those who had one too many drinks. The entire building fell silent and only the notes to Moonlight Sonata were heard. Just like any time she practiced, Amelia became so engrossed in just the music and her performance that nothing else mattered. She didn't care that she was wearing a uniform she found absolutely embarrassing. She didn't care that only half the people in the club were sober. She didn't care that the attractive man was watching her intently, not that she noticed anyway.

When the song came to a close nearly everyone stood up and clapped, granted a few immediately fell back into their seats. Amelia got up to face the audience, bowed, and thanked them before calmly walking off the stage. As she was heading back to the dining area, she thought she should check on the stranger to see if he needed anything. However, she mainly wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to talk to him. Unfortunately, when she neared his table, she was sad to find that he was gone.

'Wait…I feel sad?' She thought, blinking in surprise. Then mentally she shook her head and pushed the thought aside. 'He was nobody. I'm letting my imagination get to me.' Amelia checked on a different table and went to get refills for them.

"Well at least I get off in five minutes." She said with relief after she glanced up at the clock.

Once said amount of time had passed, Amelia quickly headed out the door.

"Dang, I forgot my change of clothes." She grumbled to herself, "Well, I'm only parked a block away so it's not all bad." She stated as she walked down the well-lit sidewalk. As she trudged tiredly, the human who was secretly a sorceress was overcome with the sense of being watched. She stopped and scanned the area all around her, listening carefully for any sign of another person's presence. Finding nothing, but certain something was amiss, she stayed alert and continued on her way. When the young woman passed a few shrubs, she heard a rustle come from them and she quickly whipped around. There was no one around, but Amelia knew better.

"Who's there!?" She demanded in a stern tone, living up to her family's name. The sorceress readied herself to be on defense if needed.

"A little jumpy are we?" a smooth voice asked softly in her ear. She spun on her heel, aiming to punch the person but her fist was caught in a strong hand. She looked up and her eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the stranger from the club. She jumped back, ready to fight.

"Who are you and why are you following me?" Amelia demanded to know.

"I see you _have_ learned a thing or two from me. A normal human wouldn't have picked up on a person's presence by just the rustle of bushes alone." He beamed.

The sorceress fully recognized the voice and her jaw literally dropped.

"…_Jack_!?"

"In the flesh," he grinned, "_literally_."

* * *

**dun dun DUN!!!! Ok yeah I'm sure that most of you saw this coming ^^; Even though I tried to sound vague about it, I just couldn't get past your clever minds Anyway, so what do you all think of Jack's cute human form neh? ;D **

**Ok I need some critique or advice or something about one scene in particular. When Amelia gets hit on by drunk Eddie, does it sound believable? I don't exactly hang around drunks so I was kind of winging it. Your opinions are most appriciated! =D Thank you!**


	7. Curious Jack

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At last, the long awaited chapter is here!! My apologies, this is a rather short chapter ^^; But full of Jack and Amelia funny moments XD So I hope you all enjoy! Especially the fact that Jack is human ;D

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"Oh my gosh!" she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. He laughed and happily returned the gesture. Amelia released him and took a step back to take in his appearance. Her face flushed rather quickly when she realized just how attractive he really was. The other waitress wasn't kidding when she said he was cute. She met his gaze and again was captivated by his gorgeous emerald colored eyes. It took her a moment to realize she was staring.

"Uh, wow Jack!" the sorceress stated after finally snapping out of her daze. "You look…great! I would say I didn't recognize you, but that's kind of obvious." She laughed sheepishly, while he just smiled in amusement.

"Thank you, and now you know I wasn't lying when I told you I was quite the catch when I was alive." Jack grinned winking at her, his comment earning him a playful slug to the shoulder, and he pretended to be injured. "Must you be so cruel?"

"Yes." She answered simply.

"So what are you doing here anyway?" Amelia asked as they walked toward her car.

"Only a week to see you was not nearly long enough." He said truthfully, but both were surprised to hear the words come from his mouth. He didn't realize that a light blush spread across his cheeks. "And to uh…well, to see the human world for myself. You've told me so much about how things have changed that I just had to come and see. Or else my curiosity would never let me live it down." He laughed a little. Jack was relieved when she bought his added excuse, which was true at least.

"Well that curiosity of yours _is_ insufferable." Amelia teased.

"Yep," his face fell when he caught an insult in her words, "hey wait a minute."

The sorceress giggled and unlocked the doors to her silver car.

"So these are cars, right?" He asked as he looked around the parking lot intrigued by the vehicles.

"Mmhm." She confirmed his assumption as she got in and gestured for him to go around to the other side.

Jack did as instructed and walked around. Hesitantly, he grasped the handle of the passenger door, carefully pulled, and then it opened. He peered inside curiously before sitting down in the seat and shutting the door. Amelia had to keep from snickering during the whole ordeal, but she kept in mind that he'd never seen a car before. She then grabbed her seatbelt, clicked it in place, and then looked up at Jack expectantly.

"Seatbelt." The driver stated, gesturing to named safety device.

He blinked in slight confusion before glancing over his shoulder at the strap with the metal buckle. Carefully, he pulled it down across himself like Amelia had done. He glanced at hers to where it was fastened and noticed a similar slot next to his seat. He slipped the buckle in until he heard a small click. Jack then looked back up at her, and was a little irritated to see her holding back a giggle by covering her mouth.

"Sorry Jack." She apologized sheepishly when she noticed him glaring at her. "So um…we need to find a pace for you to stay."

"Couldn't I just stay at your house?" he inquired, and was slightly confused when Amelia laughed.

"I really don't think Claire would be for having a guy staying in our small apartment." She reminded him.

"Oh yes, you're living on your own now…sort of." He scratched his head as he contemplated a solution. "I know! Are there any abandoned houses nearby?"

"Well…there's the one near my old home and it's not to far from here." Amelia recalled.

"Perfect then!" He beamed cheerfully.

"Um Jack, it's not exactly a good idea for someone to just move into that particular abandoned house without some construction work going on. It's badly out of shape. Plus, it's the middle of the night." She pointed out.

"I don't seem to have any other choices." He shrugged. "Besides, leave the whole _construction_ issue to me." He said confidently.

"_Ok_…" Amelia agreed uncertainly. She then turned the key and the engine roared to life, startling the would-be skeleton man next to her. She drove out of the parking lot and headed down the street.

"So this is what Samhain looks like." Jack stated as he stared out the window, fascinated by the passing buildings and houses. "Well, at least at night."

"It's pretty lifeless past midnight." She said, then corrected herself, "Other than at the bars and what not."

"Speaking of which," he turned toward her with a black eyebrow arched, "I never expected to see you working at one."

"I told you about my job in one of my letters." The young woman with a double-life reminded him.

"True, but you never went into detail other than the work hours, your stubborn boss, and how much you hate your uniform." He took in her appearance for a moment, "Which I don't understand why. You look cute." He winked.

"If it weren't for the fact that I'm driving, I'd hit you right now." She threatened despite a light blush rising to her cheeks, while Jack just laughed.

As she continued to drive, Amelia pointed out the college and her apartment building. She offered to write out directions for him but he declined.

"No need. Now that I know where the places are, I can just use a spell to transport myself." He explained.

"Wait, how were you able to find the Moonlight anyway?" She inquired.

"I'm sorry?" he blinked, not understanding what she asked.

"Moonlight Sonata, the club I work at."

"Oh right! You know the stone fountain with the monster statue in Town Square?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It acts as a sort of window into the human world. I used it to see where you were at." He explained, "But how I got here is an entirely different story." He laughed, scratching his head sheepishly. "I sort of…got lost. So I walked into a general store I saw and got a map."

"So that's why you walked in at such a late time?"

"Yep."

"What time did you get here? It was eleven-thirty when you came in!"

"Uh, eight o'clock I think it was?"

"You were _lost_ for three and-a-half _hours_!?"

"Yep."

"Jack."

"Yes Amelia?"

"You're hopeless."

"Not entirely, I found my way didn't I?"

"Yes, but you're still hopeless."

Jack didn't bother with a comeback for they were pulling into the driveway of the old shabby house.

"You sure about using this place? I could probably figure out something better, I think." She offered.

"Nope, this will be fine." He beamed at her.

"Alright then." The sorceress snapped her fingers and a small pad of paper and a pencil appeared in her hands. She scrawled something onto the first page, then tore it off and handed it to him.

"I'm still giving you the addresses to my apartment and the school. Knowing now that you get lost easily, I'm not going to take any chances." This earned her an irritated glare from the man next to her but she ignored it. "I also put down the name of the music hall at the college. I'm usually there during my free-time."

"Thanks." He smiled, taking the piece of paper, but then looked at his seat belt with a puzzled expression. "Uh…how do I get out?"

--

Once he was alone inside the house, Jack Skellington stood calmly, closed his eyes, and his human disguise disappeared in a green glow, though he was still wearing the same clothes which now hung loosely on his skeletal form.

"_Ah_…it's good to be back as my old self." He beamed and then looked around the room. "Well, Amelia wasn't kidding when she said the place needed work." He sighed. "I guess I'll leave the clean-up for tomorrow."

He yawned tiredly and walked down the small hallway until he came to a bedroom. It was relatively empty save for the bed in the corner of the room. It had a metal frame and a mattress, but no sheets or covers. Jack moved to stand in the center of the room, closed his eyes, and put his palms together with his elbows out.

"_Redivivus Cella_." His shadow on the ground began moving, and then snaked and curled around him on the ground in a spiral motion. It continued to swallow the room, the whole floor covered in black and then the shadow crawled up the walls to the ceiling. Once everything around him was shrouded in darkness, he opened his eyes and muttered, "_Domus_."

The shadows began to retreat, uncovering everything and then formed back into Jack's normal silhouette. The room was entirely redone with furnishings that seemed to be straight from Halloween Town. The carpet was black and white with a large spiral pattern. The bed was still rather plain save for it was longer and with a tombstone for the headboard. An awkwardly angled silver lamp and a black nightstand were next to the bed. The windows were warped and oddly slanted with long red drapes covering them. On the now light gray ceiling, black bats were painted as if they were about to swarm into the room. Jagged, spidery cracks lined the slate colored walls, and the light fixture above was in the shape of a black widow spider.

"Something is still missing." Jack put a finger to his chin and thought, then beamed and snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

He pointed to a corner of the room and a green beam suddenly shot out of his hand. A gargoyle appeared where the light had hit the wall. The sorcerer did the same thing for the other corners, and then placed his hands on his hips with a look of satisfaction across his features.

"Much better!" He grinned triumphantly and snapped his fingers. His human clothes were replaced with his normal tan striped nighttime attire and a matching cap on his head. The skeleton man flipped the main switch to the light above and it clicked off. He climbed into bed and gazed up at the ceiling, recalling the events of that night.

--

When he had sat down at the table in Moonlight Sonata he had noticed Amelia right off, but didn't make eye contact. He found it amusing when she stared at him for a long time before walking toward him. However, he was disheartened when a different waitress came up to him first. After she had taken his order, he discreetly glanced back at Amelia and had to keep himself from laughing when she stopped the girl who was serving him. He knew she was inquiring about his identity. It was difficult to prevent himself from just walking up to her, but he knew she was working so it was best not to distract her. Plus, it was fun for him to make her so confused.

Though she didn't see, he watched her curiously. Jack noticed that whenever she walked by customers, specifically men, their gazes would follow after her. A few made some _interesting_ comments that he didn't find appropriate. For those guys, their beverages "mysteriously" tipped over, splashing all over them.

'Is she _that_ unaware of how attractive she really is?' He had thought, and immediately felt a blush creep across his face. 'Well, I mean she just needs to be more careful.' He mentally stated to banish the awkward feeling that crawled over him.

When the student musician stepped onto the stage, he had been slightly surprised and very inquisitive as to what she was doing. He smiled proudly when she announced she would be playing the club's namesake on the piano. Their gazes met again and like before, she stood frozen in place, but managed to knock herself out of it. The skeleton in disguise noted the odd feeling that had appeared before was present again, but forgot about it as soon as she began playing. Just like everyone else in the room, he became entranced. To Jack, her music was almost as hypnotizing as her voice when she used her special Armonian gift.

After she had finished her performance, he left, leaving money for the drink and the tip on the table. He knew she would be getting off work soon for she had mumbled something about it when she had passed him earlier carrying a tray full of food, she just hadn't noticed him then. He decided to see if he could get a scare out of her when she left, but her skills as a citizen of Halloween Town proved to be just as sharp as ever.

--

Jack chuckled to himself, proud that even in the human world she was still Halloween's Princess. Soon his thoughts began to fade into the blackness as he quietly succumbed to sleep.

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**My favorite part of this chapter would have to be when Jack explains he was lost for three and-a-half hours XD Especially the** "Not entirely, I found my way here, didn't I?" "Yeah, but you're still hopeless." **Twas inspired by the most amazing book series ever: Skulduggery Pleasant! X3 If you like my story, you'll love that book. Buy it. Read it. Love it. DO IT!**

**Another favorite scene of mine: **"True, but you never went into detail other than the work hours, your stubborn boss, and how much you hate your uniform." He took in her appearance for a moment, "Which I don't understand why. You look cute." He winked.

"If it weren't for the fact that I'm driving, I'd hit you right now." She threatened despite a light blush rising to her cheeks, while Jack just laughed. **XDDDD Priceless.**

**Reviews make the world go round! =D**


	8. An Unexpected Invitation

**Well, it's Monday which means school has started for me so pardon the late update time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! I know I did writing it *snickers***

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It was Friday afternoon of the next day when Amelia tiredly walked out of the music building at Samhain Community College. The weary student wore an earthy, tan colored, long sleeved shirt with a wide neck to reveal the black straps of the take-top she had on underneath. A warm green jacket covered her shoulders and arms to protect her from the November chill and she had on a pair of black denim jeans to complete the ensemble. Her heavy backpack weighed down on her shoulder while she struggled to keep the loose sheets of music in her hands from falling out of her grasp. The music major heaved a deep, exhausted sigh.

"Thank goodness it's the weekend." She shifted the papers into one hand and dug her car keys out of her jacket pocket with the other.

"Need help there?" A masculine voice spoke next to her.

Amelia jumped slightly and whipped her head around. Jack, in his human disguise, was leaning against her car with an amused expression across his face.

"And here I thought the Daughter of Fright couldn't be scared." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wasn't scared," the sorceress scoffed glaring at him, "you just startled me."

"Right." He obviously didn't believe her but chuckled lightly. Amelia felt her heart skip a beat at the sound. He pushed himself off her car and turned to face her directly. "So what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Oh, well…I kind of haven't thought that far ahead." She said sheepishly. "Normally I would get some homework done before I have to go to work."

Jack gave her a slightly irritated look, obviously that wasn't the answer he was hoping for. "Well you're not today."

"Eh? I'm not?" She blinked in confusion.

"No, you're going to take a break and stop worrying about school work so much." He stated assertively, crossing his arms.

"But—"

"Ah." He cut her off, "We're going to spend the afternoon together and get your mind off things."

"Why do I get the feeling that this is part of the reason you came here?" The young woman arched an eyebrow suspiciously. The would-be skeleton man ignored her comment and snapped his fingers when an idea came to him.

"I know! How about you show me around town?" he beamed like the suggestion was pure genius.

"How's that enjoying _myself_?"

"I'll be fun!" he insisted. "Seeing Samhain in the dark like last night isn't as good as seeing it in the daytime."

"I see with your human form also came arrogance." Amelia stated bluntly.

"Hey." He narrowed his emerald green eyes at her and she just laughed.

"Alright come on." She smiled, "Get in on the other side." Once he had reached the passenger door, she smirked and said, "You _do_ remember how to put your seatbelt on right?"

"Yes." He replied dryly hearing the amusement in her voice.

They were soon on the road and Amelia pointed out other places of interest as they passed them. Such as, the city park which was vast and lush with autumn trees, a few still had their brightly colored leaves while others had already lost several. They went by her old house, the sorceress silently praying her parents or her old neighbors didn't see them. Explaining who Jack was and why he was in her car was one situation she desperately wanted to avoid. Then they came across Samhain High School, to which Amelia described as, "the best and worst four years of my life." As they headed into the downtown area, the young woman ran into ill-fated luck. They passed La Petite Café and everything went in slow-motion as she noticed Claire walking out of the building. The tall dark haired brunette stopped and a shocked expression came across her face. She saw them.

"Oh for the love of…" Amelia groaned in annoyance and pulled into a nearby parking lot.

"Why are we stopping?" Jack asked, puzzled.

"Claire, my roommate, saw us." She explained. "Or more specifically, saw _you_." The disgruntled teenager unbuckled her seatbelt and turned toward him. "Now listen, I've told her a little about you so you need to know the cover story. We're childhood friends since I was nine, you live several towns away, and we know each other because you're a friend of my family."

"Uh, ok?' He nodded a little dumbly as he took in the information. They got out of the car and, not five seconds later, Claire was already walking up to them.

"Well, well, well. Would you happen to be Amelia's boyfriend I've heard so much about?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"_B-Boyfriend_!?" the two disguised sorcerers yelled in surprise as their faces flushed red.

"Claire! He's _not_ my boyfriend!" The light brunette protested.

"Right, right." The café waitress waved her off.

Amelia sighed, and then proceeded with the introductions, "This is Jack, my _friend_. Jack, this is Claire, my so-called friend."

"Ignoring that." The tall young woman stated.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you." Jack took her hand and shook it, flashing his signature grin. She stared up at him, though he was only just barely a few inches taller, and she seemed to be in some sort of trance. A light blush splashed across her cheeks.

"Uh likewise." She finally said, snapping out of her daze when he had released her hand. "Why don't we go to the café?" she suggested, "Get out of the cold. Hot chocolate is on me!"

"Alright." Amelia laughed at her friend's sudden enthusiasm.

Soon they were all seated around a small table in La Petite Café, which was moderately busy. Claire brought out three cups of hot chocolate and sat down across from Jack and Amelia.

"Strange…" she eyed the man next to her best friend suspiciously, "Amelia told me she wouldn't see you for a while."

Said young woman stiffened and glanced over at Jack nervously, who blinked then beamed brightly.

"Well she would have been right had I not decided to come to Samhain." He said cheerfully, and then took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"So why the surprise visit?" Claire crossed her arms, looking at him curiously.

"Well you see, and you of all people would understand this, Amelia just hasn't given herself enough time to relax." Jack spoke truthfully. "Whenever I would talk to her, she would be fretting over an exam or something else school-related. I took it upon myself to make sure that she would let go of some of that stress."

The two girls' eyes widened in surprise, but then the dark brunette smiled and laughed a little.

"That _is_ too true, and how sweet of you to come for her." She interlaced her fingers and propped her head up, then gave them a wink. "Are you sure you two aren't dating?"

"What? No!" The two shouted in unison, a light blush forming on their faces.

"_Right_…Just making sure." Claire beamed and took a sip of her beverage. "So Jack, tell me about yourself."

"Um…well, what would you like to know?" he inquired, getting a bit nervous.

"Like, what do you do for a living?"

"Oh, I'm in charge of—" he held back a grunt of pain when Amelia kicked his leg underneath the table. The waitress across from them raised an eyebrow and Jack laughed sheepishly. "I'm in charge of…of a big organization back home." He gave a curt nod and smiled with satisfaction.

"What organization?"

"Uh…it's one unique to my town. We…plan and run holiday events." He beamed, hoping that using his old job description would work and she wouldn't see through his façade.

"Interesting." Claire took another sip of her hot chocolate, a little uncertain of his answer. "And you get paid for that?"

"Yes, I work as a city employee."

"Ah I see, so what are your hobbies?"

"Eh…" He couldn't possibly tell her that the holidays were his life _literally_ and his only other pastime was _magic_. "I don't really have any because the holiday organization is always so busy." He paused and thought for a moment. "But I suppose you could say I like to sing and act."

This made Claire's eyes go wide and both eyebrows rise. "You're a performer?"

"Occasionally," he responded casually as he shrugged his shoulders, "if we need a last-minute act for something I'll step in."

"Hmm…so what's your rep like?"

"My…rep?"

"Reputation. Let me just ask this instead, ever been in trouble with the law?"

"What!?"

"Ever gotten arrested?"

"No!"

"A ticket?"

"No."

"Been in a fist fight?"

"…No."

"Shoplifted?"

"No."

"Drunk in public?"

"No!"

"Well you're no fun at all!" Claire threw her hands up in exasperation while the two people across from her had bewildered looks on their faces.

"Of course _you_ would pick a guy without a record." The tall young woman said with mild annoyance toward Amelia.

"What makes you think I would go for a guy _with_ one?" The light brunette snapped irritably.

"Oh so you admit that Jack _is_ your type." Claire smirked triumphantly while her best friend slammed her head against the table. The interrogated skeleton-in-disguise had turned his head to face the window as he tried to beat down the light blush that threatened to spread across his cheeks.

"Why must you always go back to _that_?" Amelia grumbled, sitting back up to face her so-called friend.

"'Cause it's fun." The dark brunette grinned cheekily, "Plus, it's not that often I can embarrass a guy as well as you." She pointed her thumb toward Jack, who then turned his head slightly to glare at her. Amelia couldn't help but giggle and he moved to face her with an irritated expression.

"Oh _sure_, side with the enemy." He retorted.

"Hey, watch it bone-man." Claire crossed her arms and scowled.

"Bone-man?" the two across from her questioned in unison.

"Yeah, he's practically just skin and bones he's so thin, like a skeleton." She pointed out as though it was the most obvious thing in the world while Jack and Amelia exchanged glances.

"I have an unusually high metabolism." He laughed.

The café waitress's watch suddenly beeped and she let out a disgruntled sigh.

"Seems my break is over." She got up from her seat. "The hot chocolate is on the house."

"Oh no need." Jack waved his hand for emphasis then dug out some money out of his pocket. "Allow me, please." He gave her his signature smile and Claire just couldn't turn down the offer.

"Alright, just tell the cashier you ordered two hot chocolates. At least allow me to cover my own since I work here after all."

He gave a curt nod and as soon as he walked away to pay, Claire leaned down to whisper to Amelia.

"Cute _and_ generous, is he rich too?"

"No." her friend replied dryly, a little annoyed.

"Well I know there's got to me more to his job than he's letting on." Claire stood back up to her full height and put her hands on her hips. "He was totally nervous during the whole conversation."

"Considering you were playing "bad-cop" again, anyone would be." Amelia commented.

"Oh ha, very funny." The waitress replied sarcastically.

The sorceress-in-disguise stood up as Jack made his way back over.

"Well we don't want to keep you from work." She said to her best friend with a smile.

"It was very nice meeting you, Claire." Jack said kindly as she shook her hand again.

"Uh, same here." The dark brunette replied awkwardly, a pink tint returning to her face.

Amelia and Jack left La Petite Café and got back in her car to continue the mini-tour of Samhain.

--

"Would you care if we stopped at my new residence?" Jack asked as they drove out of the downtown area. "I'd like you to see what I've done to it so far."

"Sure." She happily agreed and made her way to the old haunted house on her home street. As she neared the address, she almost didn't recognize the place because it was swarming with people. She parked next to the curb on the side of the road and they got out.

"What's going on?" Amelia inquired as she and Jack walked up to the house.

"You said so yourself that it needed construction work, so that's what this is." He gestured to the workers all around, and a few were even on the roof.

"B-But wait, you don't technically own the house, and where did you get the money to do all this?" The young woman was quite puzzled, even more so when he laughed.

"You're thinking to hard. Take a closer look."

She did as he said and looked back toward the diligently working people. After a moment passed, her eyes widened in realization. "They're illusions."

"Precisely." The would-be skeleton man beamed, "Come on inside." He gestured for her to follow. He opened the door for her, allowing her to step in first and then he came in behind. He grinned with satisfaction when the sorceress gasped in surprise.

"Oh my gosh…This place looks amazing!" She exclaimed.

The entire house had been completely redone and refurbished. It looked like a modern-day home now, except for the Halloween-look of Jack's room. There was no trace of it ever being the old, shabby, haunted house it once was. The broken windows were replaced, the walls repainted, furniture was brand-new along with the carpet, and not a single speck of dust or cobweb in sight.

"Is this an illusion too?" Amelia inquired.

"Actually no," Jack answered, "I pretty much rebuilt the whole interior using spells. It's what I did most of today."

"Well you have excellent taste." She laughed softly. The young woman then glanced at the clock on the wall and gasped in fear. "Oh no, I need to be at work in fifteen minutes!" The sorceress spun on her heel but ended up walking into Jack.

"Whoa slow down." He laughed and grasped her shoulders. Amelia felt her face begin to heat up at their close proximity and didn't dare meet his gaze.

"This is what I meant about you being too stressed out. You'll make it in time so calm down." He said soothingly and then, much to her dismay, he lifted her chin so she would look at him. "When do you get off work?"

"Um…I work 'till eight tonight." She blushed as her ocean-colored eyes met his gorgeous emerald orbs.

"Splendid then, you can come by here for dinner afterwards." He smiled.

"W-Wha?" She stuttered in surprise.

"Dinner…You. Me. Here. Eight-thirty sound good?"

"U-um yeah...s-sure." Amelia agreed, though confused by his unexpected invitation.

"Great!" He moved to open the door and stepped aside to let her leave. "See you then." He beamed brightly as she walked out.

"R-right, see you then." She said then fully walked outside and heard the door quietly shut behind her. Her face flushed bright red as she finally absorbed what had just happened. A peculiar glow came from the blue pendant around her neck. Hastily, she got into her car and drove toward her apartment to get her accursed uniform.

"Jack and I are going to have dinner..." The young woman finally spoke to herself after a few silent moments of driving, the glow from her necklace having finally died down. "Right, just two old friends still catching up over dinner. No romantic element what so ever." She told herself firmly.

Meanwhile, Jack was leaning with his back against the front door, his beautiful green eyes open wide.

"What the heck possessed me to ask that!?" he exclaimed in total disbelief. "Of all things, _dinner_!? I can't cook!" He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"What on earth am I trying to do? Impress her?" As the words left his mouth, an idea suddenly came to him. "That's it. Yeah that just might work!"

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**Ooohhh Jack is planning something! What is he up to? *snickers* I hope you all liked it! Reviews make the world go round! =D Don't forget to check out the sneak preview of the next chapter on the TNAB website! **


	9. The Perfect Outfit

**Well folks, I bet you were expecting a romantic date scene neh? Sorry but not just yet XD Claire has a few things to say before that happens. Trust me, you'll enjoy it. Thank you all so much! Oh and by the way, sorry elize_mail!!! Your casual entry was in the last chapter and I totally forgot to mention it! **

**Casual entry for this chapter is by ZOE_Productions so be sure to check out the TNAB website to see it! As well as elize_mail's entry from last chapter! **

**Oh and sorry for the shortness, I'll make up for it next time I promise! **

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"Ah! What on earth am I going to wear!?" Amelia shouted as she frantically raided her closet. It was eight o'clock and she was supposed to be at Jack's house in half an hour.

When she had been working at Moonlight Sonata, she had accidentally let her dinner plans slip to Lori. The assistant manager was so thrilled about the date, even though the poor waitress tried to correct her, that she let Amelia off early to get ready. Now, the frantic young woman was quite thankful for the extra time which she had ended up wasting trying to figure out what to wear.

"No, too flashy." She commented on one outfit in her wardrobe before chucking it across the room and moving on to the next. "Too casual." Clothes flew again. "Gah! This would be so much easier if I knew what he would like."

"What _he_ would like? Would innocent Amelia Brave be going on a _date_?"

"Eep!" the troubled teenager whipped around to see Claire leaning on the door frame, arms crossed, and a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"W-What are you talking about?" Amelia tried to brush it off.

"So did Jack ask you out?" the tall brunette's smirk grew when her friend's face turned beet red. "I totally knew it was going to happen."

"H-he didn't ask me out! He just…" the light brunette turned her head away and her voice quieted, "asked me to dinner."

"Honey, that's what _normal_ people call a _date_." Claire said mockingly.

"I-It's not a date!"

"_Sure_ it isn't."

"It's not!"

"Right, and next week when he asks you to go see a movie that's just a get-together."

"Claire…" Amelia whined.

"And when you spend every waking moment together, that's _maybe_ having feelings for each other."

"Claire."

"And when he gets down on one knee—"

"CLAIRE!!!"

"What!?"

Amelia couldn't even form words, so just sounds of protest and embarrassment sputtered out. She then slapped her forehead and groaned miserably.

"…It's not a date." The flustered teen finally grumbled.

"Well anyway, if you're looking for the perfect outfit for your date—"

"Weren't you _listening_!?"

"—we need something flirty. Something that says, 'I'd like to see you try to win me over.'" Claire stepped past Amelia and started to rummage through her closet while her roommate continued to protest.

"I'm not trying to be won over!" Her blush deepened from anger and embarrassment.

"The classic little-black-dress would be good, but might be a little too formal for a first dinner-date."

"It's just a dinner, _not_ a date."

"How 'bout a mini skirt?"

"NO!"

"Nah…that would be way too flirtatious for you. Girl you have a crappy wardrobe."

"Ugh! Will you just leave?" Amelia crossed her arms and glared at her friend digging deeper into the closet.

"_Hello_." Claire suddenly said, her eyes wide, but then a mischievous expression formed across her face. "What do we have _here_?"

"W-What?" her roommate behind her asked nervously, biting her lip.

A few minutes later, Amelia was standing in front of her mirror wearing Claire's choice for "the perfect outfit" as the tall young woman had put it. The would-be sorceress had on a nice purple top with a square neck-line which showed off her blue pendant, and three-quarter length sleeves that split to her upper arm so they draped elegantly. She wore a flowing black skirt that hit just below her knees. On her feet was a pair of shiny black shoes with silver buckles that held down the straps. Claire then added the finishing touch, a matching purple double-hairclip to hold back Amelia's light brown bangs. Now, the well-dressed young woman gazed at her reflection in amazement.

"Wow…I didn't even know I had this." She breathed.

"Which is a miracle in itself considering you have no date clothes." Her roommate who stood next to her commented.

"For the last time," Amelia turned toward her friend with an annoyed glare, "it's _not_ a _date_!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Claire waved her off as she began inspecting her friend's appearance. "Blush, you need some blush and a little foundation."

"_What_!? I have to wear makeup too?" the disgruntled teenager whined.

"Yes, now be quiet and sit in that chair."

Reluctantly, the light brunette did as she was told and the tall young woman brought out a makeup kit.

"Can't have too much now or else you'll look desperate." Claire said and her friend groaned. She then brought out a skin colored bottle and a white triangle sponge.

"The foundation evens out your skin tone and hides blemishes." She explained as she applied the liquid to her friend's face. She knew that Amelia wasn't exactly keen on using makeup and didn't know what hardly anything was in the box she had brought out so she took the liberty of explaining what she was doing. Next, the tall young woman grabbed a little tray with an assortment of different shades of pink. She picked up the brush, chose a color, and began to apply it to her friend's cheeks.

"Considering you blush around him all the time, maybe this will help to make it not so obvious."

As if on cue, Amelia's cheeks became a natural, light cherry color.

"As I expected." Claire gave a curt nod and finished applying the blush. She crossed her arms and grasped her chin as she pondered something. "Hmm…Since you're going to be eating, I'd say just a shiny clear-coat lip gloss would work." She got up to get said item while the dressed-up young woman just slumped with dread. Claire came back and handed a clear tube to Amelia, who slowly took it and put the lip gloss on.

"Ok, are we done now?" She turned toward her after she finished and handed back the clear tube.

"Yes, so you can breathe easy now." The tall young woman joked.

"Good," Amelia sighed, "Um, could I wear my black slacks instead of the skirt?"

"No!" Claire shouted absolutely appalled, and her friend even winced a bit at the sudden outburst. "It'll throw off the whole look!" she put her hands on her hips, "Girl, you have nice legs. It's high time you showed them off!"

Amelia nearly fell over from embarrassment and her face flushed bright red.

"But it feels so weird! I'm not used to wearing skirts!" She complained.

"You're a horrible liar." The tall young woman stated bluntly. "You wear one as part of your work uniform."

"Th-that's different!" her roommate protested, "I'm forced to wear one then! A-and you know I hate it!"

"Stop being so self-conscious, you're _nineteen_ for gosh sake!" the dark brunette scolded. "You should be _used_ to wearing clothes that flatter your figure by now!"

The light brunette sighed in defeat then her gaze shifted toward the digital clock next to her bed. She suddenly gasped and quickly stood up.

"Oh no, it's almost eight-thirty!" She hastily grabbed her car keys and ran out of her room toward the front door. As her hand grasped the door knob, she stopped and turned back to her friend who walked into the room.

"Thanks Claire." She smiled graciously.

"No big." The tall brunette shrugged and a smirk crossed her lips. "But if you come home without a "taken" status, I'll slap you." She laughed, but Amelia got the feeling she was serious.

A short while later the well-dressed young woman pulled into the driveway of the old, yet newly renovated house and noticed that the illusions of construction workers were gone. She got out of her silver car and looked toward the front door, which now seemed to be over a hundred feet away. Gulping nervously, she began to make her way to the house. When the would-be sorceress came to the door, she pressed the doorbell and heard the funeral march play.

"Figures." She rolled her eyes and smiled.

Amelia nearly jumped out of her shoes when she heard the door knob begin to turn. It seemed as though everything was running in slow-motion as the door opened and there stood a sharply-dressed human Jack Skellington. He wore a slate gray suit, black shoes, and a white undershirt, leaving the coat unbuttoned.

"Hello Amelia." He greeted, but then emerald eyes met ocean blue and time fully stopped. They stood there staring at each other in silence, both astonished by each other's appearance.

"_Whoa_." They breathed, and then snapped out of their dazes.

"Erm, wow Amelia. You look wonderful." Jack managed to speak first. The sorceress had a tint of pink splash across her cheeks.

"U-um, thank you…Jack." She fumbled over her words, "A-are you sure it isn't too much?"

"No not at all! Honestly, you look…perfect." He said still in a bit of a daze.

"Th-thanks…again." She laughed a little. "You look great yourself."

Jack blinked in surprise and felt his face heat up. "Well um, thank you. It's not much really." He laughed sheepishly. He then stepped aside, holding the door open, and gestured for her to walk inside. "Please, by all means come in."

Amelia giggled, "Why thank you, Jack." She said and walked passed him into the house, the sorcerer gently shutting the door behind them.

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**And now finally the dinner can begin...next chapter *giggles evily* Sorry to keep you guys waiting XD But don't worry, it'll come next chapter! Anyway, a big thanks to ZOE_Productions for her amazing casual entry and thanks to elize_mail for her entry which was in the last chapter. Again I'm so sorry for not mentioning it!!! And again I'm sorry for the shortness of the chapter ^^;**

**Reviews make the world go round =D**


	10. The Dinner

**Hola! Guten Tag! Bonjour! Hallo! Konnichiwa! And the ever-popular, Hello Everyone! I hope you're all ready for an awesome chapter…because it may be a while before I can update again. Wait! Don't kill the author! Let me explain: I am getting my wisdom teeth cut out next weekend. So needless to say I'll be incapacitated for a while so the next update will be a bit belated. **

**So kind reviews full of your favorite scenes and what you liked about the chapter will be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!**

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Jack led Amelia into the dining room lit up by two candle chandeliers and in the center of the room was a long dark wooden table. On top of it was a placement setting for dinner for two with fine china plates and crystal glasses. The wall adjacent to the table was a large window overlooking the edge of the forest and the painted evening sky.

Jack, being the classic gentleman he was, pulled out a chair for Amelia and she gracefully sat down.

"Wow Jack, I'm impressed! You really did an amazing job." She said in awe as he took his seat across from her.

"Why thank you my dear." He smiled and snapped his fingers. In a sudden flash of light, the main course appeared on the plates before them.

"Ok now you're just being a show off." The young woman commented light-heartedly.

"Here I go out of my way to make you a nice dinner and all you do is insult me. I'm hurt Amelia." The sorcerer joked. She giggled and he suddenly found himself wanting to make her laugh again just to hear the sound.

"Well I didn't work my hands to the bone just to let the food get cold." He added.

"Then let's eat." She laughed again and Jack smiled.

They sat and ate in a comfortable silence, but as indiscreetly as she could, Amelia observed him curiously. If she hadn't believed that Jack once belonged in England's high society before, she certainly did now. His manners and etiquette made her own appear sloppy, which was saying a lot because she had been raised to be polite especially during dinner. He sat up straight, his elbows never touched the table, and even the _way_ he ate was so graceful it was practically an art form. Feeling a little embarrassed about her own manners, though civil they were she tried to mimic him. Jack glanced up and noticed what she was trying to do. Amelia sat straighter but looked stiff and rather uncomfortable. She glanced down at her arms several times to make sure her elbows didn't touch the table, and ate extremely small portions of food at a time. As humorous as this was to him, he decided to keep his amusement to himself, settling for a grin instead.

"So, what do you think of the human world so far?" Amelia asked to break the silence that was beginning to feel a little awkward.

"Well, everything has certainly changed since the mid-_eighteen_ hundreds." He laughed, "But I think I'm adapting quite nicely, I was able to find you last night."

"After being _lost_ for nearly four hours." She retorted with a sly smile.

"Well I eventually found my way, didn't I?" He pointed out, trying to save some of his dignity.

"Yeah, after breaking down and getting a map." She snickered and he shot her a glare, but she just laughed more. "I meant to ask you something earlier today." She said after calming down.

"Oh? What is it?" he asked curiously, forgetting her previous comment.

"How did you manage to get money? I mean, it was very generous of you to pay for the hot chocolate, but how?" She paused, "Come to think of it, you paid for your drink at the Moonlight the first night you were here."

"Interesting story there." He chuckled, "Well, before I left for the human world, I gathered some of my money I had from when I was still alive. Don't ask me why or how I had it because for some strange reason I found a lot of my old things when I first arrived in Halloween Town." He rolled his eyes and shook his head, still baffled.

"Anyway, when I came into Samhain and grabbed the map," he then quietly muttered, "after getting lost," he continued normally, "I found an antique store that bought old coins, which thankfully was still open considering the late hour. The worker who helped me was quite shocked at all of the currency I had, more specifically, how old it was. So I sold it and got a good amount of modern-day cash that should suffice for a while."

"So that was the reason why you took so long?" She asked, now feeling a little ashamed.

"Partly, I was lost before I got the map, remember?"

"Ok, now I don't feel so bad for teasing you."

"Hey, I resent that."

"I figured." Amelia beamed. "So what's it like being _alive_ again?"

"Well…odd for want of a better word." He answered. "It's been so long, I didn't realize how much I had forgotten about what it's like being human."

"What do you think you missed most about it?"

"Hmm…I'd have to say my hair." He chuckled ran his fingers through his dark locks. "I didn't mind, or even notice, being bald until now."

Amelia laughed and Jack couldn't help but smile.

"So what does it feel like?" She asked curiously, "To be human again, I mean."

"It's…strange." He looked at his palm, "To actually _feel_ the skin of my hand and the sensation of touch, it's taking some getting used to after being undead so long." He put his hand to his chest. "But to have a beating heart, that is what really makes me feel _alive_ again. Its constant rhythm gives me a true sense of humanity."

She couldn't help but be fascinated by his words. Amelia knew she would never experience what he was going through because it was all second-nature to her. The young woman couldn't notice even if she wanted to. Plus, she had never been dead and so she was very intrigued with his unique situation.

"Wow…I can't even begin to imagine." she breathed in awe.

"It's nothing short of bizarre I can tell you that." He chuckled.

"So how long do you plan on staying?" Amelia questioned.

"Already trying to get rid of me I see." The well-dressed sorcerer joked.

"Ha, ha, you're hilarious." She retorted sarcastically, making him laugh.

"Well, I don't really know." He shrugged, "Just like how time stops in your world whenever you visit Halloween Town, time stops for me as well. It's just the other way around of course." A thought occurred to him and decided to be the one to ask questions.

"So what's the story behind you and Claire?"

"Oh, we're pretty much your typical best-friends-since-grade-school cliché." She giggled. "I was being picked on by John and the others, you remember them right?"

"The three vile miscreants we scared the living souls out of several years back?" he grinned with amusement.

"Yep, those jerks. Well, this happened before I met you." Amelia continued, "They were teasing me and I was on the verge of tears when Claire stepped in. Even then she towered over everyone in the school, including the boys." She laughed in remembrance, "Anyway, she threatened to punch their faces in if they didn't leave me alone. Naturally they fled and Claire and I have been best friends ever since."

"Doesn't seem like her personality has changed much." Jack said light-heartedly.

"Nope, she's still protective of me, except when it comes to dating." The young woman rolled her eyes.

"Oh really?" he arched a would-be eyebrow and smiled with amusement. "Care to explain?"

"Well, she's always trying to convince me to get a boyfriend and even set me up a few times." She rubbed her temple with an annoyed expression. "But a good example would be when she found out about tonight, my dinner with you that is." She felt a blush beginning to form and averted her gaze away from him. "She kept calling it a date, picked out my outfit, and actually managed to put makeup on me." A look of disgust crossed her features, and she finally dared to look back up at him.

"Still, no matter how many times I corrected her, she kept saying I was going on a date." She giggled, "Isn't that just silly?"

"Uh, yeah." Jack agreed, chuckling a little.

However, for both sorcerers, a small ache formed in their chests, yet they tried to push the thought to the back of their minds.

"But, she does have good taste." He suddenly said to break the tension, "You really do look beautiful, Amelia. You should dress up more often."

"U-um th-thanks." She stuttered and looked away as the splash of pink across her cheeks became a few shades darker.

They returned to a comfortable silence and continued to finish their meal.

"Simply amazing…" Jack said softly after a few minutes, gazing at the young woman across from him.

"Hm?" Amelia turned her attention toward him. He blinked and blood rushed to his face for he realized he had just said his thoughts aloud.

"O-oh, well I uh…" he looked away and cleared his throat nervously, "I-I meant that…it's amazing how far you've come from the little girl I used to know." He turned his gaze back to her. "You've grown up so much, physically and mentally." His emerald eyes softened, filled with an emotion that Amelia couldn't identify. "It astounds me how quickly you've become such a lovely young woman."

The makeup on her cheeks did nothing to hide the bright red blush that quickly spread across her face.

"U-uh th-thank you…Jack." She fumbled over her words, still in surprise. "I-I really don't th-think that I deserve s-such a wonderful compliment." Her gaze shifted to her plate in front of her as she felt her face heat up even more. Suddenly, an all-too familiar glow came from the pendant from around her neck. She hastily grabbed it to shield the light, hoping that the would-be skeleton man in front of her didn't notice. Shyly, she looked up at him and saw the strange look he was giving her.

"U-um I-I thought I might have noticed a scratch on it." She rushed through her excuse, focusing intensely on the pendant. The sorceress sighed in relief when the glow faded away, and then she removed her hand from it.

"Nope, just my imagination." She laughed sheepishly while he smiled, chuckling softly.

"You know, I'm glad to see that you're still wearing the pendant." He said warmly.

"I hardly ever take it off." She giggled, "It's special to me."

"Oh right, it's the Gem of the Armonias." He recalled.

"Actually," She looked away, "it's special because you gave it to me." The pink tint returned to her cheeks and she dared to meet his deep green eyes. "You're my dearest friend."

"As you are mine, Amelia." He said as his signature smile crossed his lips. "You have no idea how thankful I am for the day you _dropped_ in our most atrocious holiday."

"Actually I might…I know my life was never the same after I found the Holiday Doors." The sorceress beamed, "I would never want to change any of that."

"And to think it's really been ten years since then!" He exclaimed happily.

"I know it's unbelievable." She giggled.

Amelia and Jack carried on casual conversation for the rest of the evening, but even then, Jack's earlier surprising words still rang in her mind. Just the way he spoke made the sorceress feel as though there was some underlying meaning, but she couldn't figure out what.

After the dinner was finished, the skeleton-turned-human escorted his guest back to her car.

"Thank you for inviting me, Jack." The sorceress said turning to face him and smiled warmly, "I had a wonderful time."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Amelia." He then gently took her hand in his, "Jusqu'à ce que nous réunissions de nouveau, mon cherie." He spoke with an almost natural French accent.

"Are you trying to be smooth?" She asked with amusement lacing her voice.

"Maybe, is it working?" His smile formed into a smirk.

"Depends, what did you say?"

"Till we meet again, my dear."

She giggled, and admittedly his charm worked successfully. She shyly avoided his gaze as she felt a light blush splash across her cheeks. He didn't know why, but Jack found himself stepping closer to her. He lifted her chin with his other hand so her ocean blue eyes met his emerald colored ones. Time seemed to slow and neither noticed the light glow emitting from the sorceress's pendant. Amelia's heart began to race as he leaned in toward her, the space between them slowly beginning to disappear.

But then suddenly, he stopped as his senses returned and realized what was happening. He noticed her slightly surprised expression, but she hadn't tried to push him away. Still startled by his own actions, it took him a moment before he remembered how to speak.

"Come by again soon?" he asked lamely, still a little flustered.

Amelia blinked, as if snapping out of a daze, and was a little taken aback by the question. Unbeknownst to either of them, her pendant had returned to normal.

"Definitely." She said with a bright smile. Jack quickly let go of her and stepped back nervously, avoiding her gaze for a moment.

"Well then," he looked back up to her and offered a smile of his own, "Goodnight Amelia."

"Goodnight Jack." She gave him a curt nod and beamed. With that as her final goodbye, she climbed into her car and backed out of the driveway. The disguised-skeleton man watched her as she drove away into the distance.

--

"Stupid! Stupid! _Stupid_!" Jack was back inside the house with his forehead and clenched fist slammed against the wall. "What on earth possessed me to do _that_!?" He moved to sit on the couch and rested his head in the palms of his hands. He heaved a deep, troubled sigh.

"'Come by again soon?' Of all the idiotic things to say!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. He huffed and leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms.

"What was I trying to do before that anyway?" He glared at the opposite end of the room, "Kiss her?" Suddenly his eyes went wide as his arms dropped to his sides. "I-is that…W-why would…?" he whispered in total disbelief.

"What if…What if that was what I wanted to do?" He slouched and put his hand on the side of his head as looked down at the floor, unsure of what to make of the whole ordeal. After a few minutes, he leaned back with his head rested against the back of the couch. He stared up into space, absolutely lost until a thought ran through his mind.

'Could I possibly…have feelingsfor Amelia?'

**

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**

*Plugs ears as readers start screaming* Ok well sorry but I got to go, don't look for me next week! Wisdom teeth getting cut out and what not heh heh *sees mob running at her* OK GOTTA RUN!!! *flees*

*Hides and sneaks back after mob has run past her* Pssst! A big thanks to Crimson who translated that line from English to French for me because I don't know French. So thank you so so much!! *hears mob yelling that they found her* OK SEE YA!!! *dashes away to safe house*


	11. Running Into the Past

**Good news everyone, my surgery went well and I actually feel pretty good! Granted I'm a little sore but it wasn't enough to keep me from updating so surprise! =D I hope you enjoy it! **

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As soon as Amelia walked through the door to her apartment, Claire began to bombard her with questions.

"_So_…how did it go?" She asked with eagerness apparent in her voice.

"Um, fine?" The well-dressed young woman replied wanting to avoid the confrontation. She stepped past her friend into her room.

"Come on Amelia, this is the first time you've been on a date in _forever_." Clare predicted her protest and held her hand up before her friend could speak. "You've got to spill." An idea came to her and her lips formed into a smirk as she crossed her arms. "Actually, if you insist this _wasn't_ a date then you shouldn't have any problems telling me what happened."

The teenager secretly a sorceress mentally cursed her best friend's logic.

"Ok fine, you have a point." Amelia gave in and sat on her bed.

"If you're being so defensive," Claire sat next to her, "that means you're his girlfriend now right?"

"No! We're just _friends_ remember?"

This earned her a gentle slap on her cheek. The light brunette had had a feeling that her roommate wasn't lying before when she said she'd hit her if she came home with a single status.

"So has he tried to kiss you yet?"

"Claire!"

"Would that be a yes or a no?"

"…No."

The dark brunette gasped, "You hesitated! That means he did!"

"No!" Amelia blushed brightly, "Nothing like that happened, really."

"You're face is red."

"No it's not!"

"You're a horrible liar, you know that right?"

"Ugh! When will you get it through that stubborn head of yours that Jack and I will never be together!?"

Claire gave her a disbelieving look. "Denial. But I still want to hear every detail!" She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to herself like a child about to be told a bedtime story.

"Alright, alright." Amelia proceeded to tell her about their evening, save for anything magic related or what really happened just before she left.

"That's it?" the tall young woman arched an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Yeah that's pretty much it." The light brunette nodded, and her roommate huffed in disappointment.

"Well it started off as a date." Claire grumbled, "But seriously, all you did was "catch up" and _talk_?"

"Yeah."

"Sheesh now he sounds like the boring type." She tossed the pillow aside and stood up. Just as she was about to leave, a thought came to her and then she turned back toward Amelia. "You're not telling me everything, are you?"

"What? That's really all that happened." The young woman with the troubled love-life protested.

"You two made out didn't you?"

"WHAT!? NO!" Amelia's face flushed such a bright shade of red that a new color was invented.

"I _know_ you're not telling me everything," Claire narrowed her eyes at her, "but I suppose I can let you off _this_ time. But I know there's something between you two and I'm going to make sure you guys get together." And with that, she left her very flustered and confused friend alone.

Amelia changed into her blue, night sky pattern pajamas and lay in bed, but stared hopelessly up at the ceiling. Sleep fled her for her thoughts wouldn't stop racing. The scene between her and Jack just as she was about to leave kept replaying in her mind.

'There was a strange look in his eyes.' The young woman thought to herself. 'It was almost the same look he had during dinner…when he gave me that unbelievable compliment. But it seemed like a fog lifted from him and he came back to his senses before…' She bit her lip nervously as a light blush spread across her cheeks. 'Had he been trying to kiss me?'

Amelia turned over on her side and mentally shook her head, scolding herself for even thinking that. 'No, that can't be it. Claire is just getting to me. But what if…' Questions began to fill her head, clouding her mind. Finally she banished all the thoughts as her sensible logic returned.

'No, there is just no way he could ever have feelings for me.' Her features softened to a sad expression, 'That's just wishful thinking.'

She reminded herself of how much their friendship meant to her, and even to him for he had proved that over dinner. If she even dared to feel something more toward him, it would endanger their relationship. So at all cost, she had to forget about the crush she had on him, despite really being in love. Having that settled, she snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes. But as she began to succumb to the blackness of sleep, his words from that evening once again rang faintly in the back of her mind. She had one last fleeting thought before giving into slumber.

'Could he have…possibly meant…something…_more_?'

The next morning, Amelia busied herself with homework until around lunchtime. She left the apartment and walked to her favorite sandwich shop which thankfully was not too far from her home.

'I'm surprised I haven't seen Jack yet.' She thought to herself as she walked down the sidewalk decorated with colorful fallen autumn leaves. 'I wonder what he's up to, or maybe he got himself lost again.' She giggled.

A while later Amelia was once again walking down the sidewalk, but this time from her lunch stop back to her apartment.

'Ok, break-time is over, now to finish the rest of my mountain load of homework before Monday.' She mentally told herself and sighed tiredly. 'At least it's almost done.'

The troubled college student slowed her walk and closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air and exhaled, finally feeling relaxed. At least for a moment, because the next thing she knew she had walked into someone.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." She hastily began to apologize. "Are you alri—"

"Amelia Brave? Is that really you?"

She finally looked up and standing before her was a tall, handsome young man with a strong build. He had a well-toned body, as though he worked out for a living, and broad shoulders. His hair and eyes where a deep chocolate brown that could entrance anyone. Amelia's own eyes widened in shock and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"E-Eric!?"

"Ha! I can't believe it's you! It's really you!" His face lit up with a bright grin. She let out a squeak in surprise when his strong arms wrapped around her and he actually lifted her up in the tight embrace. Knocking out of her shocked daze, she pushed him away and landed back on the ground.

"W-What? What's wrong?" he asked with a concerned and confused look.

"As if you don't remember." She said angrily, crossing her arms and glared at him.

"Oh…right." He avoided eye-contact for a moment and scratched the back of his head. "Listen, that's part of the reason I've been looking for you." He said, nervously meeting her gaze again.

'He's been _looking_ for me?' She thought in disbelief.

"I…I wanted to apologize for that time a few years back. It didn't hit me until later that it was _you_."

"Why didn't you recognize me then? I even told you my _name_."

"Because…well I was a stupid fool for lack of a better word. I was way too caught up in my relationship with Crystal at the time that it blinded me from everything else." He admitted, obviously ashamed. "I feel horrible for doing such a thing so…I'm sorry."

"You _hurt_ me Eric." Amelia said slowly, glowering. "You _forgot_ our friendship! Do you think a simple apology is going to make up for that?"

"No." He let out a deep breath. "So I want to make it up to you, just name it. Anything, anything you want."

"…Really?" She asked hesitantly, uncertain if she could believe him.

"Yeah…like maybe," he smiled and brought out a yellow rose, "a date would suffice?"

The young woman tried to beat down the blush that threatened to spread across her face. Despite her old feelings resurfacing, she had half a mind to reject him. After being such a jerk, he thought he could just come back and make it all up after three years?

'I promised myself that I would just forget about him. I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.' The memory of her worst Christmas Eve resurfaced in her mind, the night he had forgotten who she was.

But then she made the mistake of looking into his chocolate brown eyes. Her old love for him suddenly grew and she once again felt like she was back to her childhood, crushing on him from afar. Now she was being given the opportunity she had always wished for.

"Well…" her eyes softened, "I guess I could give you a second chance…" She gently accepted the rose.

"Thank you so much Amelia. You won't regret this I promise you." Eric said as he took her hand in both of his. "You don't know how long I've waited for this chance."

"…I think I can relate." She smiled up at him.

"So then, what are you doing tonight?" he asked casually, releasing her from his grasp and put his hands in his pockets.

"Tonight?" She repeated hesitantly, "I'm afraid I work at the Moonlight." He gave her a strange look and she clarified, "Moonlight Sonata."

"Oh! I've heard of the place. You're a waitress there then?"

"Yeah," she replied, a little embarrassed.

"Well then I think I just might have to stop by." He winked, flashing a toothy grin and she giggled.

"Well I just might look forward to work for once."

He laughed, "That bad, huh?"

"Sort of," Amelia shrugged, "the pay is good but the hours I have to work are horrid. I'm a student who has a mountain load of homework every night and my boss tends to forget that little detail."

"Do you think your boss would let you off tomorrow night?" he inquired.

"You're in luck. The Moonlight is closed on Sunday."

"Great! How does six o'clock sound for dinner and a movie? My treat." He gestured to himself for emphasis.

"I think that sounds wonderful, but I'm still paying for part of it."

"No, no. I insist, and I don't wan to see you even try to pay for popcorn." He joked.

"Oh alright." She couldn't help but give in, laughing softly. "I look forward to tomorrow night."

"It's a date then." He quickly leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek, causing her to blush. "See you later, Amelia."

Eric turned from her and walked away. The young woman lightly touched the place where his lips had brushed against her skin, and she smiled. Her heart fluttered as she stood there and watched him leave.

'Is this really happening?' She mentally asked herself, 'Am I finally going to know if we were meant to be?' Her heart soared and she felt the blush on her cheeks redden.

Unbeknownst to the love-struck sorceress, a shadowy figure hidden from view had watched the whole ordeal. Shortly after Eric had left, the mysterious stranger clutched their fists and dashed off.

Amelia walked along the sidewalk, taking the scenic route back to her apartment, and held the yellow rose close to her. An occasional giggle escaped her every now and then as she thought about the man who gave it to her. Quietly she hummed to herself and sighed dreamily whenever she took in the flower's heavenly scent.

"Someone has a skip in their step today." A voice stated beside her. The sorceress didn't even have to turn and look to see who it was.

"Yes Jack, and not even your sneaky ways can damper my mood."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult." He chuckled.

"Neither," she smiled up at him, "it's more like a statement."

"Ok, so what's going on here?" He arched an eyebrow when he noticed what she held in her hands. "Quite the lovely rose you have there, Ami. May I ask who gave it to you?"

"Eric."

His eyes widened as he blinked in surprise. "I-I'm sorry, I just thought I heard you say Eric."

"I did."

"The childhood crush you thought you would never see again Eric?"

"Yep, that's the one."

"Ah. So…what happened?" He tried not to sound too curious.

"He asked me out on a date and I agreed."

"W-What?"

"I'm going out with Eric tomorrow night."

"Um Amelia, I don't mean to get involved in your personal life," he scratched the back of his head nervously and looked away, "but don't you think it's a bit odd?"

"What do you mean?" She looked at him, her voice laced with a hint of suspicion.

"W-Well I mean you haven't seen him in, what, five years?" He dared to meet her gaze, "Don't you think you should find out a little more about him first?"

"That's part of the reason for the date, so we can reconnect for want of a better word." She explained.

"Yeah, but him asking you out right off the bat? Don't you find that a bit strange?"

"Listen, Eric obviously must have had feelings for me all this time, like I did for him, or I doubt he would have asked in the first place."

"Are you sure about that?"

Amelia stopped her walking, turned to face him directly, and placed a hand on her hip as her eyes narrowed at him.

"What are you saying?"

"W-Well," he gulped, "I m-mean you should just be careful." He offered, "You don't know if he might have an ulterior motive.

"An ulterior motive!?" She shouted and Jack winced slightly at the sudden outburst.

"What? Do you think he's some sort of predator!?" She was in total disbelief that she was even having such a conversation with him. A thought occurred to her and her voice lowered, "Or are you being over-protective again?"

"Wha!?"

"Jack, I'm not a little kid, nor am I some clueless teenager. I am an adult and can take care of myself." She declared sternly.

"I-I know that Amelia, really. But…"

"But _what_ Jack!?"

"I…I just still think it's kind of suspicious. That's all."

"I am more than capable of handling myself. You of all people should know that." The sorceress's demeanor softened, "And I know Eric would never even _think_ about harming me. You _need_ to trust me on this."

"Amelia I…" he sighed, "I think you might have the wrong impression of him."

"…I don't believe this." She shook her head and briskly walked past him.

"Wait Amelia!" he called after her and started to follow but her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Just forget it!"

Jack stood there frozen in shock…and _hurt_. He slumped as he watched his heir storm off. He sighed sadly, turned around, and slowly began to make his way back toward his human world home.

"She's just too stubborn." He commented aloud.

"Yeah, she's always been like that."

He abruptly came to a halt and whipped his head around to see none other than Claire. Apparently his argument with Amelia had only been a few feet from La Petite Café. The tall young woman was wearing her uniform, a pastel green polo shirt, black jeans, and a black apron tied around her waist with the café's coffee cup logo stitched onto the side. She had her arms crossed and eyed him curiously.

"So what happened between you and Amelia just now?"

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***Flees from angry mob* DON'T KILL THE AUTHOR OR YOU'LL NEVER FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS!!! **

**But reviews with what you liked about the chapter would make me feel better considering I'm still recovering ^^; Anyway, be sure to check out the sneak peek on the TNAB website! =D *angry mob spots her* Ok gotta run!! *sprits away* **


	12. Interrogation

**Wow! I really love all the wonderful feedback I received for the last chapter ^_^ Despite a few of you wanting to stab Eric XD Anyway, I thought I'd change my author's comments up a bit by responding to the anonymous reviews here :D **

**Jet: Ok wow, thank you so so so much for such a wonderful compliment! I'm glad I have you hooked on the stories lol! Yes, this crazy authoress could be using some foreshadowing, or is she? Ah yes you do raise a good point, I should have dedicated like an entire chapter to Jack's explorations of the modern-day world. (Glad you liked the car scene!) But alas I can't fit it in now, I really regret it now. Such a wonderful idea! Why didn't I think of it!? *slaps forehead* Thank you though! **

**Singing Vampire: XD You need to figure out a new word to describe it? Wow, I'm flattered! ^_^ Good, that makes me very happy to hear that you can relate to my characters! That's what I always aim for, for my readers to be able to relate their lives in some way to the story. Thanks! **

**Patchwork Angel: Eric von Evilstein XD That's a good one! I'm sorry but the answer is no, he doesn't have anything to do with him. Don't worry, he'll get his moment soon enough lol. Thanks and yes I'm doing much better ^_^**

**Oh and thank you everyone for your wonderful support while I've been recovering from my wisdom teeth surgery, which went rather well by the way. I'm doing fine, a little sore still, but other than that I'm pretty good. **

**Enough with this author's note already, on with the story!**

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Before Jack had a chance to explain, Claire led him inside La Petite Café and offered him some tea, which he gladly accepted. They sat down at a small table in a corner of the café so they wouldn't feel as though they were talking out in the open.

"Ok, so tell me what happened." The dark-haired young woman asked as she sat down across from him.

"Well, I found out that Amelia ran into Eric." Jack stated after taking a drink of his tea.

"Eric!?" Claire's eyes widened in surprise, "Wait, you know about him?"

"Yeah," he nodded solemnly, "their friendship and her unrequited love for him, the whole story." He put his elbow on the table and propped his head up with the palm of his hand.

"Did she tell you this isn't the first time she's ran into him since then?" the waitress inquired. He raised his eyebrows with interest.

"That I did not know."

"Yeah, it'll be three years ago Christmas Eve. I was there when it happened." Claire began, "We were at a neighborhood block party and I spotted him among the crowd. I told Amelia and without a word she walked straight up to him. Shortly after, she ran home in tears. Only later did I find out that not only did Eric have a girlfriend he was completely engrossed with, but also he didn't even recognize Amelia at all." She sighed sadly and her eyes became downcast.

"The poor girl was crushed," she continued, "so much that she swore to never give her heart to anyone ever again. But the thing about Amelia is that she has trouble keeping the promises she makes to herself."

"I've noticed." He said, taking in the information given to him.

"Well anyway, so what happened between her and Eric this time? Did she tell you?"

"Sort of, she didn't give me any details. But what I do know is that he asked her out on a date for tomorrow night and she agreed."

"Ok, so what happened between her and _you_?"

"I…told her I didn't think agreeing to a date right off was a smart idea." He admitted, "I think the whole thing is rather suspicious and I wanted her to be careful. But she took it as me being over-protective and got angry. Plus, the fact I don't think Eric should be trusted so easily until she finds out more about him, didn't really help matters."

"I can see how that would come off as being protective, and it probably did Jack." Claire smiled softly, "You're her friend and you were looking out for her. But you've got to realize that you can't guard her from everything. She _can_ handle herself. I haven't "defended" Amelia in some time because she's proven to me more than once that she can. Did she ever tell you about our story?"

"Yes she did and I know she can take care of herself, but I can't help but be a little wary. For all we know he could have changed for the worst." He pointed out.

"I agree with you that she needs to be careful, and for good reason." Claire turned her head to say off to the side, "Her previous dates didn't go so well."

"I'm sorry?" He blinked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," She said sharply, "nothing you need to concern yourself with. But what you do need to do is apologize."

"Apologize? But I was only looking out for her." He protested.

"And you need to let her know that, but it really wasn't your place to judge. It was _her_ choice to say yes or no to him. This is _her_ personal life we're talking about." She stated.

"I suppose you're right." He sighed, finishing the tea. "Thanks Claire." He smiled at her.

"No problem." She looked away as a light blush appeared on her cheeks. Then a thought occurred to her and she looked back up to him with curiosity. "What _is_ Amelia to you?"

"Eh? W-What is she to me?" he blinked in confusion.

"You like her, don't you?" She pressed.

"W-Wha!?" A blush spread across his face.

"I knew there was something between you two." Her face lit up with realization and she pointed at him, "That's why you're being so protective! You're jealous!"

"W-What!? N-No, no, no, no! You've got it all wrong!" Jack hastily denied, waving his hands for emphasis.

"Oh, do I?" Claire crossed her arms and smirked.

"Yes! Amelia and I are just friends." He insisted.

"Funny, she said the same thing about you when I asked her, and had a similar reaction." Her wicked grin spread as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

"How is it funny when it's the truth?" he then crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow.

"Hmm, you're not as fun to pick on as Amelia is, especially since she's in denial."

"Eh?" His eyes widened in surprise. "Denial about what?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all." Claire snickered. She leaned forward, interlaced her fingers, and propped her head up. "You know if you insist that you're friends, then why did you go on a date with her?"

"W-_What_!?"

"You two had dinner. Alone. At _your_ house."

"I-I was j-just being friendly!"

"_Right_, then why did you kiss her?"

"I didn't kiss her!"

"Hm, ok so she _was_ telling the truth about that detail then."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know Amelia didn't let me in on everything that happened that evening, so I _know_ there's something going on."

"There is_ nothing _going on between us!"

"Then why did she try to avoid talking about the date?"

"First of all, it wasn't a date. Second, this is _her_ personal life we're talking about, you said so yourself."

Claire's eyes narrowed as she pursed her lips. "Point taken." She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, but she was unwilling to admit defeat.

"You know, Amelia is one great catch. Attractive _and_ smart, which is a well desired combination. Why don't you ask her out?"

"U-um I-I really don't think that—"

"If you don't hurry, Eric will sweep her off her feet."

"Now wait a minute—"

"It's obvious you like her."

"Huh!?"

"Don't play dumb, you obviously do or else your face wouldn't be all red."

"Listen—"

"Just tell her already."

"T-tell her what?"

"That you like her."

"B-But I…S-She would…I-I don't…We can't…No!"

"You sure?"

"Yes! Amelia is my dear friend."

"I think you two could be something more."

Jack sputtered out incoherent words from being so flustered.

"Just admit it."

"A-admit what?"

"That you like her!"

"B-But I…" he slumped, lowering his head, "I don't know…"

"This is the stage when you move from friendship to feelings, and then from denial to realization." Claire stated bluntly, causing Jack to look up and glare at her.

"Oh, it seems you've hit the denial stage already." She beamed happily.

He looked off to the side and muttered something under his breath.

"There's something there that much I will admit." He sighed and looked down at his tea. "I don't know what it is, but it's there when she's there, and gone when she's gone."

'Man he's clueless.' Claire thought to herself as she rolled her eyes.

Jack suddenly snapped his head up when he realized that it was Amelia's best friend and roommate he had just said that too.

"This conversation never happened." He said firmly.

"Oh alright, you're so-called _secret_ is safe with me," she then said under her breath, "lover-boy."

"I didn't quite catch that, what did you say?" he asked curiously.

"Hm? Nothing." The waitress replied innocently.

--

Later that evening, Amelia diligently cleaned off a table but stopped when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She glanced up and noticed Eric walking into the restaurant area of Moonlight Sonata. Her heart leapt and she checked to make sure there was no manager around before walking up to him.

"Hey Eric!" She greeted him happily, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug which he eagerly returned.

"Hey Amelia." He chuckled. They released each other and he couldn't help but do a double-take. "Wow, you look cute in that outfit." He grinned.

"Erm, thanks," she blushed, "but it really isn't my style. I can't stand pink."

"Really? Weren't you crazy about the color when we were kids?"

"Yes but that was a dark time in my life I don't like to think about."

He chuckled, "Too bad, it looks good on you."

"Oh quit kissing-up."

"Hey I'm not!" He protested and they both laughed.

"So can I get you anything?" She asked.

"Yeah," he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, "I'll take you to go."

"Ok that is the cheesiest pick-up line I've ever heard." She rolled her eyes and giggled. He released her and she began to show him to an empty table when someone called out to her.

"Amelia!" Jack waved his hand from where he stood at the entrance to get her attention. Quickly, he began to walk over to her.

She sighed in slight annoyance and looked up to Eric, "Sorry, give me a minute."

The waitress then met up with the skeleton man in disguise, making sure they were out of ear-shot.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with her arms folded, trying to hold back a bitter tone.

"I'm sorry." He stated. "I shouldn't have been so judgmental. You're my good friend, and I really was only looking out for you."

She had to admit she was impressed by his nobility to actually come and apologize.

"I know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself," he added, "so I'm sorry for being over-protective."

"Well, I guess old habits do die hard." She smiled, uncrossing her arms. His whole demeanor brightened up.

"So do you forgive me?"

"I will, on one condition." She pointed her index finger for emphasis. "Promise to let me take care of myself from now on."

"Of course Amelia," he chuckled, "I guess I still can't get over the fact that you're all grown-up now."

They moved to hug each other, until Eric suddenly appeared beside Amelia and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Is this guy bothering you?" He asked eyeing the tall, slender man suspiciously.

"No, no." She smiled and removed his arm from around her, much to Jack's secret relief. She then moved to stand beside the would-be skeleton man. "Eric, this is Jack, my good friend. Jack, this is Eric, I've told you about him before."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Jack held out his hand and Eric hesitated a moment before shaking it. He simply regarded the black-haired man with mutual respect. A tense atmosphere began to settle around them, but Amelia quickly picked up on it.

"I need to show Jack to a table so I'll be right with you in a moment." The waitress said to her old crush and led her friend away.

"Don't kill him ok?" She asked jokingly once they were out of hearing distance.

"Hey your boyfriend glared at me first." He said mockingly as he sat down at a table.

"He's not my boyfriend." She laughed softly then mentally added, 'Though…he could be.'

"So is there anything I can get you?" Amelia asked taking out her notepad and pencil.

"Just a soda will be fine." He said casually.

"Alright then." She beamed and headed toward the kitchen. Her cheery demeanor quickly vanished when she felt pain strike her heart, as though it was about to be ripped in two. 'I love Jack dearly, but my old flame for Eric is quickly reigniting.' The troubled young woman thought. 'Will I have to choose?' Silently, she prayed she wouldn't have to.

A while later, Amelia came out trying to balance a tray full of beverages that she somehow managed to get stuck with. She walked over to Jack to hand him his drink when her heel slipped on a small puddle of water.

"Wah!" she yelped as she was suddenly falling backwards with the sodas flying. Before she knew what had happened an arm firmly wrapped around her waist and another around her shoulders, catching her before she met the hard ground. The cups, which thankfully were plastic, clattered to the ground sloshing their sticky contents everywhere. Still startled, the waitress looked up to meet the eyes of her savior.

"You really need to be more careful." Jack grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Th-thank you." Amelia felt her face heat up as she stuttered out her gratitude.

"I said I would always be there to catch you when you fall didn't I?" He said brightly and helped her up to stand on her own two feet again.

"Yeah, I just didn't realize you were _literally_ speaking." She laughed a little, but then they both turned away from each other when they heard someone running up to them.

"Good gracious, what happened!?" Lori asked as she brought over a mop and a waitress with wavy red hair tailed close behind her with a bucket of water.

"I sort of slipped on a slick spot, and dropped the drinks." Amelia explained, extremely embarrassed.

"Well, clean it up." The assistant manager said as she handed her the mop then turned to the other waitress beside her. "Go get another mop, Melissa, and help her with the mess." The redhead nodded curtly then briskly walked off to the utility closet.

"I'll take care of the replacement drinks. Do you have the order tickets?" She asked and the light brunette quickly whipped out several pieces of paper from her pocket and handed it to her.

"Sorry about that, Jack." Amelia apologized as Lori walked off.

"It's quite alright, accidents happen." He said with a sympathetic smile. He then sat back down at his table as Melissa returned with the other mop and the two began the clean-up process. Shortly after, the two girls left, after the mess was cleared, to put away the mops and bucket. As soon as they were out of sight, Eric strode over to where Jack sat. He slammed his hand down on the table, startling the disguised sorcerer.

"You're pretty close to Amelia aren't you?" He demanded to know.

"Uh, yeah I assume so. I'm her friend." Jack replied, confused and a little wary.

"Well don't be getting any ideas." Eric said in a threatening tone, "Amelia is mine so you better back off."

The would-be skeleton man glared angrily and abruptly stood up, towering over the brown-haired young man.

"Listen, you do _not_ talk about her like she's some prize to be won." He glowered. "I look out for her so if you even give me the slightest reason to believe you have or will hurt her, I won't think twice about hurting you. And I'll make _sure_ you won't recover easily."

Eric growled as if he was about to say something, but saw Amelia coming out of the kitchen out of the corner of his eye. Reluctantly, he walked away from Jack and quickly sat down at a nearby table. Amelia hadn't noticed what happened between the two because she was too busy watching her feet to make sure she didn't slip again. She looked up when she neared the disguised skeleton man and beamed.

"Here you go Jack this one is on the house." She said as she handed him his beverage.

"Thank you Amelia." He grinned at her and took the drink. He set it down on the table and looked back up to her, "Listen, there's something…" he trailed off and turned away.

"What is it?" The waitress tilted her head to the side curiously.

'I can't tell her about Eric, she would never believe me.' He thought to himself. He forced a small laugh and smiled.

"Ah, it's nothing, never mind."

"Alright…" She shrugged and was about to turn away when she felt she should say something. "Jack, I'm sorry."

"For what?" He blinked as he looked up to her with a slightly puzzled expression.

"For getting mad at you earlier. I should have realized that you were just looking out for me, like you always do, so…no harm done?"

"Of course not," he beamed and winked, "How could I ever _not_ forgive you?"

"True." She grinned innocently. The would-be skeleton rolled his eyes and chuckled.

Amelia soon left to tend to other customers, occasionally checking in on Eric and Jack. When she did, the two men would regard each other with mutual respect, but when she was gone, they glowered hatefully at one another. However, they never spoke while their glares never faltered.

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Hahaha, nothing like some good "friendly" competition neh? XD Anyway, I most certainly enjoyed Claire's conversation *cough* interrogation *cough* with Jack. That whole thing was just a _little_ too much fun XD Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Be sure to check out the sneak peek!


	13. Taking Over Me

**It really shouldn't surprise me how many people are on Jack's side and want to punch Eric in the face, but it kinda does…and it's amusing XD Anyway, taking a break from all of the soap opera drama that's been going on in this story, it's time to have some fun with music! You'll see here pretty soon if you haven't totally skipped this part and started reading already. **

**For those of you wanting to know, I am pretty much fully recovered from my wisdom teeth surgery and now I'm just waiting for these dang stitches to dissolve, ugh. Ok now moving on to answering the anonymous reviews ^_^**

**Jet:**** Wow this is the first story you've reviewed? I'm flattered! And of course I had to reply to such an awesome review at that! Anyway, I am seriously considering the one-shot idea and it's now in my arsenal of "future things I'd like to write." Haha you noticed I have a thing for clichés and stereotypes and twisting them to make them work for my stories XD And yeah, I really just wanted an opportunity for Jack to tell someone off lol! Hm, I like your ideas, keep thinking of them for I always get inspiration from my readers ^_^ But with Eric, I have something planned so you'll just have to wait and see ;D I'm glad I could get you hooked on the story! **

**Ok, on with the chapter already! XD **

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"This is a disaster!"

"So they just up and canceled?"

"Yes, their band leader called me not five minutes ago and told me they weren't coming."

"I don't believe this…" Lori sighed, shaking her head as she received the news from her boss. A big-time band they had reserved several months ago suddenly canceled on them the night they were supposed to perform.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Terry." The assistant manager put her hands on her hips and looked off to the side trying to think of something.

"Tonight's act isn't going to show?"

The two managers turned their heads to see Amelia, with her arms full of empty plates, who apparently was on her way to the kitchen when she had overheard their conversation.

"Yeah," Terry grumbled in annoyance.

"Well, I'd be more than happy to fill in." the waitress offered.

"No, you've already played this week." He crossed his arms like he expected a better idea to come from her.

As if on cue, Amelia heard familiar voices enter the restaurant. All three of them turned to see the boys from the Black Vipers pile into a table and order a round of drinks from their waitress.

"Wait right here." The over-worked college student stated as she set the plates down on the counter, oblivious to the annoyed look Terry gave her, and hurried over to the band.

"Hey guys!" Amelia greeted as she walked up to them and received various hellos from the high school seniors.

"I heard your boss finally let you play?" Daniel asked curiously.

"Yeah finally, I played Moonlight Sonata." She responded cheerfully.

"How fitting." he grinned.

"Did you guys just get back from a gig?" The waitress inquired, noticing their gothic apparel.

"Yeah, and Mike here pretty much lost his voice from it." Daniel gestured to said guitarist who had a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh," She looked away slightly disappointed, "well I was going to ask if you guys wanted to make a bit of extra cash."

"Another performance?" The drummer arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, our evening act just canceled and I was thinking you'd guys might like to fill in?" Amelia asked hopefully.

"I don't know about that…"

"Please Benny?" She asked the percussionist, her eyes shimmering.

"Aw come on guys," he gave in as he looked to the others, "we're not too tired from our last gig are we?"

Her eyes sparkled and she smiled brightly.

"No…but we don't have a singer remember?" Daniel reminded them.

"I-I could do it!" Amelia offered living up to her family name.

"_You_?" He said in disbelief, raising a dark eyebrow.

"I know most of the songs you guys play."

"But they're not exactly suited for a _girl_ singer." He leaned back and crossed his arms, and then glanced at the other bass player sitting next to him, "What do you think, Derek?"

"I think she could do it." He responded confidently. "We can make it work, somehow."

"I could play the keyboard if you guys like!" She offered.

"Well," Daniel shrugged, "ah what the heck? You've never asked us for a favor before and you're our friend. Let's do it." He looked to his band-mates and they all nodded in agreement.

"Yes!" Amelia cheered but stopped when her friend spoke again.

"But, if you're going to sing and play for us, you'll need to change." He pointed at her waitress outfit. "Your uniform doesn't exactly fit in with ours." He grinned cheekily.

"Honestly, you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

"Thought you might be."

"Alright, well let's set up." Benny stated as he got up from his seat and the others quickly followed to unload their equipment.

Amelia quickly ran back to the bar counter where her boss and Lori were waiting. "We've got ourselves an act!" Before either could even ask any questions, she hurried off to the bathrooms to change out of her waitress outfit.

Once she was inside a stall, she closed her eyes and snapped her fingers. Suddenly the pink uniform she was forced to wear was replaced with black garb similarly styled to that of the boys' costumes.

She wore a black button down top with a fancy white collar and long sleeves with white cuffs. A small black skirt was around her waist along with a silver chain belt. Black and white striped tights covered her legs and on her feet were black shoes with a silver buckle on the straps. On her head was a thin, white, split headband that kept her hair from falling on her face. Her pendant was fixed so that it rested just at the base of her neck, making her blue eyes stand out.

She stepped out of the stall and stood in front of the long bathroom mirror, taking in her appearance.

"I don't usually like skirts but I _do_ like these tights, so I'll make an exception just this once." Amelia told herself, beaming at her reflection with satisfaction.

The musician hurried out of the restroom, back into the restaurant, and headed toward the stage. The boys were already setting up the instruments and she got up there in time to help with their keyboard.

"Wow Amelia, you look great." Daniel commented as he helped her lift the keyboard onto its stand.

"Thanks." She beamed brightly.

"But I thought you hated skirts." He teased.

"I do, but I happen to like this particular ensemble and just haven't had the right opportunity to wear it yet." She stated firmly.

"_Sure_ whatever," He rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Hey, do you guys know any Evanescence songs?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Dude, are you serious?" Benny suddenly cut in. "We've wanted to play their songs but never had a girl singer willing to do it!"

"Well then, I'm your girl." She beamed.

"Sweet!" He grinned, "So, what songs do you know?"

"I know the words and the piano part to _Taking Over Me_ by memory, and the same goes for pretty much any other evanescence song." She giggled.

"Excellent! Why didn't we ever think about asking her before?" The drummer turned to Daniel.

"I kinda forgot she was in to that sort of music." The bass player shrugged and the other two just rolled their eyes. He then knelt down beside a guitar case, unlatched it, and brought out a gleaming, silver, lead guitar.

"You're going to play lead tonight?" Amelia inquired.

"No, Mike still is. Evanescence songs call for another lead as a backup of sorts. Plus, I just bought this beauty and it would be a shame to _not_ play her." Daniel grinned.

"You have a guitar fetish, you know that?"

"My library back home that I've told you about wasn't a big enough clue for ya?" They laughed and went back to work.

Soon they were done setting up and, after having a quick review of which songs they were going to play, they were ready to go. Derek stepped closer to his microphone and spoke to the audience.

"How you all doing tonight?" He got cheers in response from the audience, "Great! You probably know us, but just in case you don't, we are…" he took a dramatic pause, "The Black Vipers." More shouts and hollers rang out from the crowd.

"And tonight I'd like to introduce to you our special guest with us tonight. She'll be our lead singer and keyboardist this evening. You probably know her as one of Moonlight's girls. Give it up for Amelia Brave!"

Said vocalist waved shyly to the cheering audience from her spot at the keyboard as Benny played a quick beat on the drums.

"Our first number will be a new one for the band, _Taking Over Me_ as performed by Evanescence." She announced into the angled microphone in front of her and applause erupted from the audience.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, the musician began to gently hit the piano keys. The music was serene, laced with a hit of sadness and longing, and then the boys suddenly added a rock beat. But they abruptly stopped and Amelia let the chord she struck hang in the air for a brief second before she began to sing.

"_You don't remember me but I remember you._  
_I like awake and try so hard not to think of you._"

The band began to play with her again.

"_But who can decide what they dream, and dream I do." _

"_I believe in you, I'll give up everything just to find you._  
_I have to be with you, to live, to breathe._  
_You're taking over me._"

Despite her voice being at a naturally higher tone than the lead singer of Evanescence, Amelia's voice added a remorseful, almost hurt emotion that fit the lyrics perfectly. She poured her soul into the song, obviously having heard it several times, and it possibly was a sort of reminder of something that had happened to her. Whatever it was, it made the performance all the more believable.

When the song was over, the entire audience applauded and cheered while a few even whistled. The enthusiastic energy further fueling their excitement, the band continued to play Evanescence numbers for the rest of their performance. At the show's end, all of them bowed to the audience who gave them a standing ovation, and the Black Vipers even took a step back to let Amelia have a special spotlight moment. The crowd cheered for her and she couldn't help but express her gratitude by shouting a big thanks to them as well as the band.

Jack was standing and applauded for the musicians, beaming proudly at the musically inclined sorceress up on stage. Unconsciously, he stole a glance at the dark haired man just a few tables away from him and his joyous expression faltered. Eric stood, clapping as well, but with a smirk smudged across his face and eyes like that of an animal stalking its prey. It was an ugly, sinister look that made Jack's new human blood boil.

'I've got to do something.' He told himself, 'Amelia is making a mistake.'

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Hey everyone! Sorry for the shortness, but I made up for it with an awesome band performance! XD I hope you enjoyed Amelia's spotlight moment expressing her love for all types of music.

**I must give credit where credit is due, Kaitlyn (you know who you are) you rock for creating that amazing Amelia avatar which inspired her new attire for this chapter! For those of you who'd like to see it, it's posted in the Fanart gallery on the TNAB website. **

**Hope you all enjoyed! Please review and check out the sneak peek! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Evanescence or any of their amazing songs. **


	14. A Traumatic Scare

**Aww you guys are just so awesome I thought I'd update early! And as an added bonus (for a limited time only!) I give you a longer chapter! Yes ladies and gentlemen, a whopping seven and-a-half pages on Word! *applause* Thank you, thank you. **

**XD Ok now that my dream as an advertisement star has been fulfilled, first off I'd like to truly thank all of you for your wonderful support throughout this series and honestly, I never dreamed it would go this far! I thought I'd take this moment to tell you how really appriciative I am of your wonderful reviews and critique. And a big thank you to those who have acted as my betas in the past, you know who you are ;) As well as the amazing artists whose designs were used in the stories :D And the biggest thank you to all of you readers out there for it is YOU who have kept me writing. **

**Sentimental moment over for those of you who like to skip this part XD On with the chapter! Oh and by the way, THIS is when things get INTERESTING! **

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The next night, Amelia and Eric walked down the sidewalk together, hand in hand, laughing at something they recalled from the movie they just saw. Though cliché, their date had been a nice one. He took her out to one of the finest restaurants in town and didn't let her pay a cent, no matter how much she insisted. At the movie theaters, she tried to buy popcorn just to tease him about what he previously told her not to do. Yet, for the young woman, it couldn't have possibly been more perfect. Their time together was so much like a dream come true, she double-checked several times to make sure she wasn't sleeping. But no, it was all real. Eric obviously had kept feelings for her after all this time just like she had.

"Amelia, there was something I was meaning to ask you." He looked to the young woman currently holding onto his arm. "I know you agreed to go out with me and all, but…was there ever something between you and that Jack guy?"

"Eh? Oh him? No," she laughed, "he's just a really good friend of mine who can be a little over-protective. He's like family to me."

The tall young man remained silent for a while as he recalled how the two had stared at each other when Jack had caught her when she fell the night before. However, he brushed the thought aside and glanced around before looking back down at her.

"Well, if that's the case, then there's something I need to tell you." Eric stated as he stopped their walking and turned to face her. Then, he took both of her hands in his. "Amelia, this has been one of the most amazing nights of my life. I finally got to spend time with the most wonderful girl in the world," he moved an arm to snake around her waist, "who I love."

She gasped and her gaze locked onto his. Her eyes searched his expression for any sign of doubt, but found nothing. He was serious.

"Eric…do you really mean that?" She breathed in shock.

"Of course I do." He let go of her hand and tilted her head up. "I want no one else but you."

Amelia's heart began to race and the pounding grew so loud she could swear anyone within a mile could hear it. This was the moment she had always fantasized about, but never in her wildest dreams did she think it would actually happen.

"Oh Eric…" A tear slid down her cheek as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him. "I…I've always loved you…" She finally confessed and she felt his embrace tighten.

"You have no idea how much I've wanted to hear you say that." He leaned down slightly to whisper in her ear, "I want to make you mine, Amelia."

"Huh!?" She moved away from him slightly and looked at him in surprise, and slight fear. However, he pulled her back against him.

"My desire for you is too much to bear anymore," he said softly, "stay with me tonight."

"What!?" She shrieked and pushed against his chest, but his grip around her only tightened.

"I know you feel the same way." His voice became harsh.

"Not in _that_ way!" She fought against him but her struggles didn't seem to faze him much.

"You realize you have no choice!"

More frightened that she had ever been in her life, Amelia quickly brought up her knee and hit him _hard_. His grip around her body slacked as he doubled over groaning in pain. She jumped away from him and spun on her heel to make a run for it, but she felt a strong hand tightly grip her wrist.

"Let me go!" She shouted and swung her leg around to hit him in the side, but his other hand caught her. Realizing she was trapped, she used his own strength against him and kicked her other foot right into his jaw. With momentum, she was able to back-flip out of his hold and landed crouching on her feet. Before he could recover, she sprinted away as fast as she could, but much to her horror, she heard loud steps pounding against the ground not far behind. He was running after her and gaining fast.

Just as Eric reached out to grab her, he was suddenly falling backwards after something had swiftly hit him square in the eye. Hearing the sound of a body hitting the sidewalk with a painful thud and a cry of pain, Amelia skidded to a stop and whipped around to see what had happened. She gasped in absolute shock. Jack was standing in front of Eric, towering over him as the man on the ground held his face in agony. Eric removed his hands to reveal the dark bruise beginning to form around one of his eyes. Hastily, he got to his feet and glowered at Jack, but then his angered expression faltered into complete horror. He was starring into the face of a skeleton.

"Boo." Jack said before throwing another punch at Eric, knocking him out-cold. He once again fell haphazardly onto the ground and this time he didn't get up.

The skeleton man's fierce glare melted into worry as he turned to face Amelia. She stood stunned with terror still written across her face. He hesitated a moment before approaching her.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked with obvious concern lacing his voice. Suddenly he found the young woman wrapping her arms around him and crying into his shoulder. He carefully returned the embrace, trying to comfort her knowing how frightened she was. He just held her as she wept. The skeleton man did not speak for his presence was enough.

Finally, the distraught young woman quieted her sobs but still she clutched onto him.

"Thank you…" she whispered, knowing her voice would crack if she even tried to speak any louder.

A few moments later, Jack donned his human disguise as Amelia recomposed herself long enough to call the police. Shortly after, an officer pulled up and loaded Eric's unconscious body into the back of his vehicle. As best she could, Amelia answered the officer's questions about what happened and Jack, being a witness, stepped in to speak for her when her voice broke. Soon after, the policeman drove off taking Eric away.

Jack walked with her back to her apartment, the sorceress never letting go of his arm.

"Amelia, there's something I need to say." He spoke suddenly, "I…knew what he was planning."

"Wha…What?" Her expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief. "But how!?"

"In truth…I saw you with him the other day and I noticed something odd about his demeanor. So I followed him after he had left you. He joined up with a few of his friends, bragging that he had got you to agree to go on a date with him, and that it would be easy to…well…do what he was planning all along."

"W-why didn't you tell me!?" She just didn't understand why he would let her walk into a trap like that.

"I did…or at least I tried."

Her eyes widened in realization as she recalled the afternoon of the day before when she had accused him of being over-protective. He _had_been trying to warn her, but she didn't listen. Thus, Eric played her and she fell into his trap simply because her old affections blinded her from accepting anything other than what she wanted to believe.

The sorceress's gaze became transfixed on the ground passing beneath her feet. She was ashamed of herself for doubting her best friend who had only been trying to keep her from being hurt.

"I did the only thing I could do," he continued, "I watched over you. I didn't know when he planned on "trying something" so I've been with you the entire time. When he had stopped you earlier, I knew something was up, but I couldn't hear anything that was being said. And I couldn't risk getting closer or else I might have blown my cover. I would have stepped in sooner, but you were proving that you could handle yourself just like you said you could. I was certain you wouldn't need my help, but when you started running and he took after you, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands."

"I don't even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't been there." She clutched him tighter as she fought back another onslaught of tears, "Thank you, Jack."

"I promised I would always be there to protect you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did."

He was glad that she was feeling better, at least somewhat, but he knew all too well that nightmares would haunt her for a while. Jack and Amelia soon came up to her apartment. She was reluctant to leave his side, but after a few comforting words from the would-be skeleton man, she finally released him and slowly walked inside.

"I promise you Amelia, from now on, I will make sure no harm ever comes to you." He whispered after the door was shut. The Atrum sorcerer turned around and stepped into the shadows. Dark silhouettes from the trees and buildings enveloped his body then melted into the ground before returning to their original forms. The skeleton-in-disguise had disappeared from sight.

When the traumatized young woman stepped inside her apartment, Claire quickly came up to her with a cheerful disposition, but it fell as soon as she saw Amelia's hurt expression.

"What happened?" The tall brunette asked with concern evident in her voice.

"Eric…he…" Amelia felt her voice begin to crack as tears welled in her eyes.

"Oh no…" Claire breathed as her eyes went wide. "Did he…turn out like the others?"

Her distraught friend brought her hand to her mouth and nodded as fresh water droplets cascaded down her already red face. She felt the tall young woman's thin arms embrace her in a comforting hug to which she gratefully returned. Though racked with sobs, Amelia managed to tell Claire everything that had happened, but remembered to keep the skeletal side of Jack a secret. She finally finished as another wave of grief washed over her and she cried into her friend's shoulder.

"Hey now, it's ok, you're alright. You're safe now and no one is going to hurt you ok?" Claire said soothingly and she felt Amelia nod her head. "If that jerk even _dares_ to show his face remotely near you again, or even me, I'll pound him into next Tuesday of next year."

The tall young woman guided her friend to her room for she knew that sleep would do her some good. Amelia settled down and Claire left her to get ready for bed. Within minutes, the sorceress was in bed, clutching her covers tightly to herself, and her mind finally began to rest.

However, that night, Jack's assumption came true.

"AAAAHHHH!!!"

Amelia awoke screaming in the early hours of the morning, she had dreamt of what would have happened had Jack not come to her rescue. Now, she sat up in bed and silenced her cry when she realized it was a nightmare. But then a tall shadowy figure suddenly entered her room carrying some sort of weapon. She let out another terrified shriek and then the lights suddenly flicked on.

"What on earth? Amelia?" A tall young woman asked tiredly having just woken up. It was Claire who had dashed into her room and had a baseball bat in hand ready to clobber whoever dared to break into their apartment. When she saw the room was void of any intruder, she sighed in relief and then sat down on the edge of her roommate's bed.

"Are you ok?" She asked, blinking away the remainder of sleep. Tears streamed down Amelia's face as she violently shook her head.

"N-no! I dreamt of what would've happened last night if Jack hadn't…" She put her face in her hands and sobbed. Claire put down the bat, moved to sit beside her, and put her arms around her shoulders. The distraught young woman cried until her eyes ran dry and only quiet sobs escaped her.

"Well as you just saw, no one is going to get to you, not as long as I'm around, and Jack too." Claire said comfortingly.

"Yeah…I'm sorry." Amelia muttered apologetically, ashamed for making such a fuss.

"Don't worry about it. But you're probably going to have nightmares for a while, hon." She said truthfully, "You just need to remember that it's not real. You're safe now, ok?"

"Ok." The light brunette sniffled and gave her dear friend another grateful hug.

"Try to get some sleep." Claire said as she released her. Then, she got off the bed, retrieved the bat, and flicked the lights off as she walked out of the room.

Amelia sighed in exhaustion and settled back down as she tried to go back to sleep. But she didn't know if precious slumber escaped her because she was still so frightened, or if she knew that lurking in the dark corners of her mind the nightmare was waiting for her to return. Whatever it was, the young woman could not fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. Tiredly, she glanced at the clock and saw that was about two o'clock in the morning. She had been awake for almost an hour now. Her gaze shifted to the window on the wall where the moon's light peeked through the thin lavender curtains. She simply stared at the soft glow for what seemed like an eternity before she sat up once again, a determined look on her features. Amelia swung her legs out from underneath the covers and planted her feet on the ground.

She got up and turned on the lamp next to her bed. The young woman winced at the sudden burst of light, but her eyes soon adjusted and her serious expression returned. She then walked over to her desk, grabbed her backpack, and unzipped it. She emptied its contents all over the wooden table, then went over to her dresser and pulled some clothes out of the drawers. After stuffing them into the bag along with some other necessities needed for a long trip, she opened her closet and dug out her sorceress costume that had been buried deep in the back. The Armonia snapped her fingers and her pajamas were immediately replaced with the long silver gown. She placed her pendant into its metallic holder at the base of her collar, then grabbed her silver circlet from its hidden spot in her chest of drawers and placed it around her head. The sorceress looked at her backpack which she had set on her bed and snapped her fingers. It suddenly disappeared in a faint cloud of smoke. Then, she clicked her lamp off.

The Armonia moved to stand in the center of her room and closed her eyes. The dark shadows cast from the various objects around her began to twist and curve, then slithered on the ground to where she stood and completely enveloped her body. Her silhouette melted into the ground and the shadows returned to their original forms. The young sorceress had vanished.

The shadow cast by the old, once abandoned and now newly redone house suddenly became darker and rose from the ground. It morphed into a familiar form, then melted away and returned to normal. Amelia had resurfaced from the darkness behind Jack's new home. Stealthily she sneaked around the house and peeked into the windows, most of which had the curtains drawn. But she came across one in which the drapes were pulled back and sure enough there was a skeleton man snoozing peacefully in his room. Normally, Amelia would have laughed at the comical way he slept, not to mention his choice for the interior design, but this was not any other ordinary night. Not that sneaking around in the early hours of the morning was ordinary.

The young woman tapped on the window, but the slumbering skeleton didn't wake. She knocked on the glass again, this time a little louder, and still nothing. Huffing a little, she waved her hand in front of the window and then heard a faint _click_. Carefully she lifted the window just enough so she could slip inside. Just as she was about to get her other foot through, she lost her balance and landed on the ground with a rather loud thud.

"Eh, wha? What? Who's there?" Jack asked sleepily as he reached over to find the switch to the awkwardly bent lamp next to his bed. He finally found it and an eerie yellow light filled the room. His eyes widened in shock and he arched an eyebrow in confusion when he saw Amelia getting up from off the floor, dusting herself off.

"Amelia? What are you doing here at this time of night?" He asked, fighting a yawn and got out of bed.

"Get whatever things you brought with you." She said firmly and met his gaze with a serious expression he had never seen before. "We're leaving."

"W-What!?" Jack was fully awake now. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I'm going with you back to Halloween Town, and it might be a while before I decide to return." She explained with such a stern tone that he immediately knew she wasn't messing around.

"Why? I-I'm afraid I don't understand." He scratched his head.

"I'm tired of the pathetic men here simply using me to get what they want!" she suddenly shouted, but then lowered her gaze to the floor, her voice barely above a whisper. "Eric wasn't the first guy to try that."

"_What_!?" Jack staggered back a few steps, nearly falling over in shock.

"Listen, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Can we just go?" her voice started to break. She lifted her distressed gaze to meet his, her eyes shimmering from the tears that began to form. "Please…"

Jack sighed and looked away as he thought for a moment, but then glanced back at her and nodded in agreement.

"Alright."

After that, the two sorcerers hardly spoke another word to each other as they left the house and made their way through the thick, dark forest. Jack, in his usual pinstripe suit, led the way while Amelia followed quietly behind, her gaze transfixed on the ground beneath her feet. They walked down the old winding path further into the woods until they came to a circle of tall trees with oddly colored bark. They moved to stand in front of the trunk with a picture of a jack-o-lantern with a wicked smile. Jack grasped its nose and turned it like a door knob and it opened, revealing the tree's hollow inside. A faint howling sound came from deep beneath the earth and rapidly grew louder before a gush of black wind burst through the trunk. It encircled the sorcerers, neither showing any sign of fear, and then it pulled them into the tree. The pumpkin shaped door slammed shut, no trace of the two sucked inside had been left behind.

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**Ok lets see if I can comment in chronological order. *Ahem* So obviously you all knew that Eric was indeed up to something, but I bet you didn't expect THAT now did ya!? Ok...yeah I'm sure a lot of you did, I'm horrible at being vague. Anyway, naturally Jack stepped in just in time to save her like always! But poor Amelia, what a traumatic experience, hence the chapter title. Moving on, Eric is now officially gone since he's in the slammer, and *GASP* What's this!? Amelia is running away!? *GASPS again* This isn't the first time such a horrific event has happend to her!? Just WHAT is this crazy insane authoress planning!? Tune in next week to find out ;D **

**Please review and check out the sneak peek! =D**


	15. Unwanted Memories

**Hello everyone and Happy October!!! I'm excited for this month, how about you? XD Anyway, thank you all for your wonderful reviews and expressing your enthusiasm that Eric is gone lol! I'm sorry to disappoint the Oogie Boogie Theorists (those who thought Eric was somehow involved with Oogie) but I certainly appreciated your ideas! If you ever have any predictions, please tell me! I always get inspiration from my readers ^_^ **

**Acro: Patience my young one. Ah I like your theory, but alas Eric was just a jerk. XD Yes Amelia was "bossing Jack around" as you put it toward the end there. Glad you liked it! **

**PatworkAngel: Wow you placed bets? XD Nice! I feel kinda sorry for that random person lol! Well don't worry about being callous, Jack will help Amelia in this new chapter ^^**

**Anyway, as a special treat for you readers, this chapter is all one big Jack and Amelia moment! Enjoy~**

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Jack Skellington fed another log into the tower's fireplace and then sat down on his couch. He was in his usual nighttime attire, tan cap and all, as he stared absentmindedly at the bright orange and yellow flames. The grandfather clock in the corner of the room behind him gonged a half hour past nine. The skeleton man crossed his arms and sighed as he leaned back into the couch, his mind troubled.

It had been three days since he and Amelia had returned to Halloween Town, and he was growing very concerned for his dear friend. The first day back she locked herself in her room and did not come out, not even to eat. Jack had even offered to cook up some normal food, grated he'd use a spell instead of making it himself, but she declined. The next day, hunger finally wore her down and she came out and ate. She walked around the house but only for a short while before going back to her room in seclusion. Finally by the third she seemed to be feeling better, or at least making an effort. The sorceress left the house, strolled around town a bit for some fresh air, but avoided talking to any of the citizens who passed her. Despite the small, gradual improvements, it didn't seem as though Amelia would get out of her slump anytime soon.

In the three days' time, Jack made no motion to bring up what had happened between her and Eric, or anything remotely related to the human world for that matter. But something she said the night she decided to leave constantly replayed itself over and over in the back of his mind.

"_Eric wasn't the first guy to try that." _

'Something like this has happened to her before?' He thought to himself. He had managed to refrain from asking about it, knowing it was still too soon to bring up such a touchy subject. But anxiety was beginning to eat at him.

'Why didn't she tell me?' He mentally asked, but then the answer immediately came to him. 'She didn't want me to be concerned…'

Jack sighed and slouched as he put his face in his hands. After a brief moment he clasped them together and rested his forearms against his legs as he stared at the dancing shadows on the floor.

"She's just running away from her fears by coming here." He muttered to himself sadly. "But I can understand she'll need time to recover." He then continued mentally, 'A week, maybe more, but she can't avoid the real world for too long. I know that Halloween Town is a safe haven for her, but she can't remain here forever. What would happen if time unexpectedly resumed itself on the other side and she's suddenly missing?' he heaved another disgruntled sigh.

'I'm going to have to convince her to go back. No one can avoid their problems by running away. They'll just simply follow close behind.' He sat up a little straighter and gazed into the fire, 'But I guess…that will be a talk for another day.'

Soft footsteps were heard coming up the spiral staircase, Jack turned and saw a dismal-looking Amelia Brave, wearing her long black nightgown, enter the room. He didn't say anything, just watched as she silently walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. The skeleton man opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He was in an inner debate with himself but settled for remaining quiet and returned his gaze to stare absentmindedly at the fire. They sat in silence for several minutes before he let the question that had been eating at him finally break the stillness.

"Amelia…you mentioned that it wasn't the first time you had been in _that_ kind of situation." He noticed her body stiffen and he hesitated before continuing. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but I just wanted to know what happened."

She didn't say a single word for such a long period of time that Jack thought she might not have heard him. But then she finally looked up to meet his gaze and saw the worry and concern in his hollow eyes. She turned away from him and remained silent for a moment longer before speaking.

"It all started toward the beginning of my last year in high school." She began, "Guys started talking to me more and I didn't know why, I just thought it was because they might actually be gaining a mature bone in their bodies. But…I found out the real reason." The young woman paused a moment before she continued.

"This guy who I had been dating for about a week decided that he had _waited_ long enough and he tried to…" she choked on her words as a tear slid down her cheek. Jack's eyes widened in shock and felt something begin to boil deep inside him.

"I was able to get away." She finally said, and the skeleton man next to her mentally let out a held breath in relief. "I punched and kicked and screamed, I did everything I could and managed to outrun him. He was arrested and I gave up on dating after that. But…the memories kept resurfacing…and I had nightmares whenever I slept." Her hands, rested on her knees, clutched into fists as she fought back the urge to cry.

"Apparently…I was then seen as some sort of prize to be won among those idiotic guys at my school and kept getting asked out," she spat. "I declined every one of them, but there was one in particular who hated rejection. He…he tried to kidnap me." Her voice broke again and tears began to stream down her face.

"What!?" Jack shouted in absolute horror.

"I escaped." She hastily said before the skeleton man next to her decided to go back to her world and kill the guy. "He didn't know I had learned self-defense after the first incident. But even then, I was lucky that he didn't know how to fight back."

"This whole thing with Eric…feels far worse than the others." She sobbed as she hugged her arms, "I had no idea he would turn out to be just like them!"

To his surprise, Amelia fell against Jack and clutched onto his nightshirt as she cried into his chest. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace as if to shield her from anything and everything that would cause her harm. He stroked her hair as she sobbed, trying his best to gently hush her, and just simply hold her in his arms. Despite his caring disposition, anger flared up inside him. He was more than ready to reappear in the human world and strangle those men who _dared_ to hurt her. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the sorceress he cared for so deeply crying her heart out in his arms. After several minutes had passed, Amelia's eyes dried up and her sobs had silenced.

"I'm such a fool." She muttered, turning her head so he could hear, "I gave him my full trust while knowing next to nothing about him. I was stupid not to listen to you."

"No Amelia, you weren't." He corrected her, "You couldn't have possibly known what was going to happen."

"But _you_ knew, and you tried to tell me…but I wouldn't listen. I was too infatuated with the idea of him actually loving me back…that it blinded me from everything else."

"He was your first love so it's only natural to do what you did. None of this was your fault. Besides, you hadn't seen him in _years_, which makes it all the more understandable." Jack decided not to mention that he knew what had happened on a particular Christmas Eve in her life. It wasn't his place to say, nor was he even supposed to know.

"That's…not entirely true." Amelia admitted and lifted her head but avoided his gaze. "I saw him not long after I had left Halloween Town three years ago. He had a girlfriend though, and he didn't recognize me at all. Not even when I told him my name…" She hesitated a moment before continuing.

"That night I made a promise to myself that I really should have kept. I would never give my heart to anyone ever again like I did for him. I was stupid to break it more than once."

"Amelia…" he was in disbelief of the words coming from her. "Please, do not blame yourself solely for what has happened to you. To make a promise like that would be difficult to keep, I know." His looked off to the side for a moment, "I made a similar promise when Elizabeth passed…But I let it go after a while." He returned his gaze to her, tilting her head up to meet her shimmering eyes. "I like to believe that there is someone out there for everyone. I think there is that special someone out there waiting for you, so don't throw your heart away. I really don't know if I my own rule would apply to myself because I died so young. Fate had something else planned for me and it brought me here." He then smiled.

"Personally, I'm glad it did, do you know why?" He asked and she shook her head in response. He chuckled a little and gently held the side of her face with his skeletal hand, "Because I got to meet you."

Amelia felt her heart swell, she was sure it skipped a beat, and she felt fresh tears begin to form. But then she did something Jack almost thought he'd never see again. She smiled. A true, heart-felt smile. He was taken slightly off-guard when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug, but he was more than willing to return it.

"Thank you…Jack." She said softly as she clung to him. His arms around her tightened protectively and he rested his head against hers.

"You're most certainly welcome, Ami."

They stayed in each other's embrace in comfortable silence, neither wanting to let go. After a while, Jack felt her arms loosen but she didn't move.

"Amelia?" he asked and but heard nothing in response.

"Amelia?" He repeated, lifting his head. He blinked in slight surprise to find that the sorceress had fallen asleep. The skeleton man laughed softly in amusement and decided not to disturb her.

He couldn't help but notice that he liked her being in his arms. As long as she was with him, he felt as though he had the strength to keep her safe from all harm, including heartbreak. Then once again there was that strange emotion that appeared whenever they were together, only it was much stronger now. He gazed down at her serene face and it warmed his heart. She finally seemed to be having a peaceful sleep, something she desperately needed. But as she rested comfortably in his embrace, he took notice of how they fit together so perfectly, almost as if they _belonged_ together.

The strange feeling he had grew even more as he thought about wanting to be the one to protect her, to be the one she depends on, to be the one to soothe her in time of grief. How he felt so happy to be with her, how he wanted to talk to her just to hear her voice, how he wanted to make her laugh just to hear its angelic ring, and how much he loved the look on her face whenever she blushed. That mysterious emotion that he could not quite figure out, he finally did.

'I never thought it would actually come to this…' he thought to himself as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, 'I think I may be falling for you.'

But then he mentally slapped himself in the face.

'Great timing Jack,' he scolded himself, 'find out you actually have feelings for her when she's just been emotionally traumatized.'

He then gazed at her peaceful expression and smiled warmly as he thought, 'What on earth have you done to me, Amelia Brave?'

He glanced up at the clock as it chimed ten in the evening. He looked back down at the serene sorceress and sighed, 'I just don't have the heart to wake her.'

Jack reluctantly released a hand from around her frame and reached behind him to grab a pillow next to the arm of the couch. He then placed it on top of the sofa where he could rest his head comfortably against it. His arm returned to its former place securely around Amelia and soon the skeleton man drifted off to sleep.

--

The smiling jack-o-lantern sun slowly rose into the sky, its warm beams of light washing over the sleepy town of Halloween. The rays reached the windows of the highest tower and poured into the room where a skeleton and a sorceress slept curled up next to each other on a sofa in front of a long-since gone out fireplace. The sun's light warmed the young woman's body, gently rousing her from her quiet slumber. She lifted her head and gasped softly as soon as she realized where she was, and just _who_she was with. A bright blush splashed across her face, but she soon forgot about her embarrassment as she gazed up at the still snoozing skeleton man. The last time she saw him this close sleeping was when he was in her bed, snoring comically, snuggled up to a teddy bear. But now, he wasn't making a sound and she noticed how peaceful he looked. Had the Armonia been wearing her tear-drop pendant, it surely would glow its familiar blue light.

Then, he began to stir and the sorceress's blush returned as she tried to gradually move away from him without him waking. No such luck. It was as if the absence of her warmth was just enough to pull the skeleton out of his slumber and his eyes slowly opened. He blinked as he came to realize he was staring into the nervous and very embarrassed face of the young Armonia.

"Good morning Amelia." He said softly as he beamed down at her.

"G-good morning Jack." She fumbled a little, and then realized that she still had her hands rested against his chest. Her face turned several shades darker as she hastily moved away from him and avoided his gaze. The skeleton simply chuckled in amusement.

"S-sorry for…falling asleep on you." She muttered but then her eyes widened in realization and she looked back at him. "Why didn't you wake me up? I wouldn't have wanted you to end up sleeping like that because of me!"

"It's quite alright Ami." He laughed, "I didn't want to wake you up. You were finally sleeping soundly with no nightmares. I just couldn't." he admitted.

"B-but still, I would've understood." Amelia protested and rubbed the side of her neck. "The way you were sleeping didn't look all that comfortable."

"Nah," Jack waved it off, "I've been through worse, such as sleeping standing up in an upright coffin."

"You've _actually_ done that?" She arched an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yeah, and _that_ wasn't all too comfortable let me tell you." He grinned, "I would much rather sleep with my head on the couch instead of in a coffin."

"Ok," she giggled, "I guess if you insist."

"Besides, I really didn't mind us sleeping together like that." As soon as the words left his mouth a bright blush spread across Amelia's face, and an identical one would have appeared on Jack had he been in his human form.

"W-well uh…what I meant was…I-I…" he scratched the back of his head as he looked away from her, trying to figure out the right words to say in this rather awkward situation. "What I meant to say was…w-well I-I…um…I m-mean…"

"It was nice." She suddenly said. He whipped his head around to face her with a surprised expression, but she was staring intently down at the floor. "What you said was true, I hadn't had a decent sleep in a while." She smiled a little. "I-I guess I felt safe with you, a-and knowing you were there I could relax." The still flushed sorceress dared to look up at him. "So I guess I owe you another thanks."

"O-of course Amelia, n-not a problem." Jack scratched his head sheepishly before meeting her gaze. She smiled warmly at him, obviously very grateful, and he couldn't help but return it with a smile of his own.

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XDDD Sorry, but I hadn't had a good Jack and Amelia awkward moment for a long time. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. Out of the whole story, and yes I have the whole thing planned out, this is one of my favorite chapters of all. Anyway, please tell me your thoughts ^_^ I look forward to your wonderful reviews! =D Be sure to check out the sneak peek! Oh, and there's a picture of the human version of Jack Skellington on the TNAB website in the gallery! 


	16. When the Past Comes to Haunt You

**Ok, well I have not a lot to say about this chapter before it gets started, so let's get to reading! =D**

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A few more days passed and it was finally a week since Amelia had "escaped" to Halloween Town. On that day, Jack tried to confront the sorceress about at least _when_ she should go back, but then their eyes would lock onto each other and he would say something completely different than what he intended. He just couldn't bring himself to talk about it, and it was apparent in her demeanor that she didn't want to leave. Oddly enough, Jack really didn't want her to either. He had come to find that he enjoyed her company, much more than he ever did before. Though she was still quiet to their friends, Amelia always opened up around him when they were alone. She confided in him and he would always listen. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy. The more time they spent together, the more the thought of her actually leaving again seemed less and less desirable, even though they both knew she couldn't remain there forever. But that wasn't going to stop them from avoiding it as long as possible.

Before anyone realized it, another week had passed. Amelia was almost back to her old, cheery self and the nightmares had vanished for the most part. It was a rare moment when she and the Pumpkin King weren't together, talking enthusiastically about something or picking on each other for their own amusement. Still, Jack couldn't find it within himself to bring up the subject of her returning home. But now, it was becoming a matter of whether or not he _wanted_ her to leave.

One day, it had been one of the unusual moments where the two Halloween royals weren't together until Jack returned home from a meeting with the Mayor. As soon as he entered his house, the faint sound of piano music reached him. Climbing the steep staircase into the living room the sound grew louder and the tune seemed vaguely familiar. The skeleton man quietly walked down the hall and approached the practice room where the grand piano was. He peered into the open doorway and saw none other than Amelia at the beautiful instrument, playing the song which he now fully recognized as the famous Moonlight Sonata.

Like always, Amelia was completely oblivious of his presence as she was to everyone whenever she played. So, like always, Jack quietly observed her, entranced by the music. After a few more minutes, the pianist gradually brought the song to a close, the last note softly dying in the air until it faded away completely.

"You know I never get tired of hearing you play."

Amelia gasped in surprise when he spoke and quickly turned to face him. When she saw Jack walking toward her, she let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

"Really, or is it that you never get tired of seeing me jump?" She asked with an amused smile.

"Possibly," he shrugged, "it _is_ one of the few times you _don't_ hear me sneaking up on you."

"So you admit that my skills as the Daughter of Fright have improved."

"Hmm, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were getting an ego."

"Like you don't have one."

"I don't, I just happen to be really good at what I do."

"_Right_." She rolled her eyes and laughed.

Jack then offered his hand to her, which earned him a questioning look that he returned with his signature smile. Still slightly confused, she took his hand and he pulled her up with surprising strength. He chuckled when she stumbled, earning him a miffed glare in response, which he ignored as he led her to stand in the center of the room.

"What are you doing?" She asked, puzzled as his free hand took hers and placed it on his shoulder.

"Proving to you just how much of a courteous gentleman I can be." He stated as his skeletal hand came to rest on her waist.

Suddenly the room became filled with beautiful, orchestral music and Jack began to lead her in a waltz. Amelia smiled as she recognized the familiar tune from both masquerades, and let herself be completely absorbed in the moment. Their eerily graceful movements complimented each other as they danced perfectly in time. The world seemed to melt away as they became lost in the music, feeling like they were floating across the floor moving as one. Jack and Amelia's gazes locked onto one another. She felt her heart leap and her cheeks flush as she stared up at him. She sensed her pendant beginning to emit its soft glow but paid no mind. He was completely entranced with her deep ocean colored eyes and her soft smile. His hidden feelings made him realize how much he loved being with her like this, being this close.

The song came to a close and they stopped with just a mere sliver of space between them. Amelia saw the strange look in his eyes, the very same look he had given her during and after their dinner. It seemed like such a distant memory now, yet it all came rushing back to her as she gazed up at him. Jack began to lean toward her, his eyes slowly closing. Amelia did the same as her heart began to race, but then the light from the Gem of the Armonias became brighter, snapping them both out of their dazes. They became fully aware just how close their proximity to each other was. The sorceress's blush deepened and, had the skeleton man been in his human form, all of his blood would have rushed to his face. Feeling the awkward tension fall heavily upon them, he let go of her and stepped back. The two turned their away from one another and Jack crossed his arms as Amelia held her upper arm with the opposite hand.

"Um…" he cleared his throat nervously while still avoiding eye-contact. "So…why does your pendant tend to glow like that?" He unintentionally blurted the question, though he was only trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Oh, w-well…th-that's because…" She hesitated as she racked her brain to think of a suitable lie. "I…don't really know." The sorceress shrugged her shoulders as she looked down at the said jewelry. "It just…happens at random times."

"Oh…I see."

The two stood in an awkward silence still not meeting each other's gazes. But then Jack heard her giggle and he couldn't help but turn toward her curiously.

"What is it?" He asked, arching a would-be eyebrow.

"I think dancing has become a favorite pastime of ours, have you noticed?" She beamed as she looked up at him.

"That it has." He laughed a little. The atmosphere became rather thick again and they again nervously avoided eye-contact.

Um, Jack…" Amelia broke the silence after a minute or so had passed, "There's something…I need to tell you." She felt her heart begin to race and she clutched her pendant as it began to glow again.

Simultaneously, they moved to face one another and again were captivated by each other's gaze.

"Yes, Amelia?" He asked after a moment.

Just the way he said her name made butterflies dance in her stomach, her heart leap, and her already red face became a shade darker.

"I…I…" She tried to speak but then suddenly her nerves took over. "W-well, w-what I'm t-trying to s-say is…th-that I…I…" her voice went out.

"It's alright Amelia, whatever it is, you can tell me." Jack said reassuringly with his signature smile.

"Well I…w-wanted to t-tell you," she gulped, "I…I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" He repeated as he blinked in surprise, taken aback, "for what?"

"Just…I'm sorry. Forget I ever said anything." She hastily brushed past him, the glow from the pendant quickly faded away as she walked down the hall.

"Amelia!" He called after her, but all he got in response what the distant sound of a door closing. He sighed forlornly and held his hands behind his back. He turned to stare at his reflection in the mirror-lined wall.

'What was that about?' He thought and then solemnly shook his head. He slouched gloomily as he slowly made his way back up to the tower, dragging his feet.

"It happened again, Zero." Jack grumbled to his loyal companion who was floating nearby, his ears perked with interest. The skeleton man was slouched in his desk chair as he continued to vent. "I almost…I can't even bring myself to say it." He put his head in his hands. "Ok, I'll admit it. I feel _something_ for her, but…why on earth am I even _thinking_ this way!?"

He let out a frustrated groan and leaned back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling. Zero whimpered sadly and cocked his head to the side trying to understand his master's frustration.

"I don't know what to do Zero…" The Pumpkin King sighed sadly. "What exactly do I feel toward my Ami?" He paused, "_My _Ami?" He blinked shook his head, then he looked off to the side, "Even if I _did_…possibly…like her that way, there is absolutely no way she would return it. Why am I even talking to myself about this!?" he shouted, flailing his arms for emphasis. In a huff he stood up and gazed out the window with a puzzled expression.

"She's a human. A strong, kind, funny, lovely…scratch that, _beautiful_ young woman." His dreamy look turned into a glare toward his reflection in the glass. "And I'm a century and-a-half year-old skeleton. There's just no way anything could possibly work between us." He sighed again and shoved his hands in his pockets as he stared down at the floor. "She deserves someone better anyway, someone _alive_ at least."

"Again, _why_ am I telling myself all of this when these feelings shouldn't even _be_ there!?" Jack's gaze returned to the distant horizon. "But…I just can't help it. Amelia is just so…so wonderful. She's a powerful sorceress and a natural leader. True, she's mischievous at times," he chuckled, "but so kind and warm-hearted. She's grown up now, I've definitely come to realize it, and she still has her whole life ahead of her. But…I just…don't want her leave again." He turned toward the ghostly canine.

"Is it strange to feel completely and utterly empty when someone isn't in your presence, but your heart will soar when they are?" Jack asked Zero, who only gave his version of a shrug in return.

"Well…that's how I feel when I'm around her." His hollowed eyes became downcast for a moment, "When I held her to comfort her that night, I couldn't help but notice how _right_ it felt. How we just seemed to be…perfect together…But, was it just my imagination? And just a while ago," he lifted his head, "I felt like I had no control as I became lost in those ocean blue eyes of hers. I almost didn't realize that I was trying to…I still can't say it, but she didn't move away. She didn't protest. She…" he choked on his words again.

"And when she was trying to tell me something," he finally spoke, "I had the crazy idea that she was going to confess that she had feelings for me." He laughed at the thought. "That girl has really gotten to me, Zero. I can't seem to get her out of my mind."

He turned his attention back toward the window and just happened to look down. He gasped in surprise when he saw the very Armonia sorceress, who was driving him crazy, sitting on the stone wall bordering the front yard. He squinted to peer closer, and noticed she held a sketch pad in her hands and was drawing something. Then, her head turned just enough so he could see the profile of her face, and one astounding ocean colored eye. Had he had a beating heart, he was certain it would have been racing and leap into his throat.

"Amelia…" he breathed as a smile crossed his features. "I'm certain of it now, I cannot doubt it anymore. I want to tell you…" he hesitated, "I don't even know how to put these emotions into words." He sighed sadly and turned away from the window.

"Who am I kidding?" he crossed his arms, "I know we could never be together, even if you did feel the same way as I do. It's all just wishful thinking."

If only the Pumpkin King knew that the very sorceress he held feelings for was going through similar inner turmoil.

'What was I _thinking_!?' She scolded herself mentally. 'Why did I even try to _confess_ to him!?' She scowled at her sketch pad. 'You're such an idiot, Amelia, as if he would actually return your feelings.' Her gaze softened with a solemn look as she glanced to the side.

'Even if by some freak chance he did, we could never be together. He's an undead skeleton and king of Halloween Town, and I'm just a human who still has her life to live. We're from two totally different worlds…Being able to come here at all is a stretch in itself, which will end by the time I graduate.' She sighed sadly, 'I hate being in love, it's too complicated. Or is it that I just don't exactly have good luck with picking guys?'

Her thoughts wandered back to the moment they had just a short while before. The way he held her so close, that look in his eyes which has appeared more and more often, and when they became half-lidded as…

'Was he trying to kiss me?' Amelia thought as her face became flush red. She hugged her sketchbook to herself as she gazed down at the ground, a troubled expression across her features. 'He couldn't have…but it was just like before…could he possibly…?' Her rapidly beating heart finally began to slow as she convinced herself otherwise. 'No, I'm sure I just imagined it. There's just no way.'

She clutched her pendant as her heart began to ache. 'Of all people, I fell in love with the one man truly out of reach.' Amelia turned to gaze out toward the horizon. 'Jack…I want you to know how I feel, so much. But, maybe it would be best if I kept quiet…I don't think I could handle heartbreak again.'

"I've got to tell her." Jack whispered as he continued to watch the Armonia sorceress. "I still don't know how to put my feelings into words, but I think she'll understand…hopefully." He turned on his heel to exit but then a thought crossed his mind, causing him to reconsider his decision.

"She came here to escape trauma, not accept my feelings." He stated sadly, "Hoping for there to be something more than friendship between us now would be taking advantage of her fragile situation." He looked back toward the window, "But I still want her to know…"

Unsure if he was making the right choice, he descended the spiral staircase and proceeded to make his exit. As his hand grasped the doorknob to the outside, he gulped nervously. Again he second-guessed himself but then shook all doubts out of his head and opened the door. He felt his non-existent heart fall when he didn't see any trace of the sorceress.

"Amelia?" He whispered and then hastily rushed down the steep staircase, practically bursting through the gate. "Amelia!" He called and looked around frantically, but there was no sign of her.

As calmly as he could, which was still very anxious, he asked all of the nearby citizens if they had seen the Princess of Halloween. Unfortunately, they all responded the same, "No, sorry Jack." He searched all of her normal hangouts around town, including the grotesque monster fountain in Town Square. But no matter where he looked, there wasn't a single indication of her presence anywhere, almost as if she had just vanished off the face of the earth.

But there was one place the Pumpkin King had forgotten to check, the path that led down to the old cemetery.

Amelia walked along the edge of the forest down the old beaten trail to the graveyard. She stopped and gazed up into the sky. The sun had begun to set and painted the sky a beautiful array of warm oranges and reds fading into violets and dark blues. A soft smile graced the young woman's lips as she closed her eyes and slowly drew in a deep breath, exhaling softly.

"I never knew that a sunset in mid-November could be so picturesque." She commented as she returned her gaze to the beautiful horizon. "I need more evenings like this. I finally feel…relaxed." She sighed happily and then continued on her way down the old trail.

"_It's alright Amelia, whatever it is, you can tell me."_ Jack's reassuring voice rang in her head, causing her to stop again.

"Oh Jack…" She choked a little and fixed her gaze to the ground as tears began to form. "My heart…it hurts…" The young woman looked back up, wiped away her tears, and a determined expression crossed her features. "I've got to tell you."

Though a little hesitantly, she began to make her way back toward town. As she walked, the last of the sun's setting rays hit something just a short distance in front of her. The object gleamed in the light, catching the sorceress's attention. She didn't know why, but she oddly felt _drawn_ to it.

"What's that?" She asked no one in particular as she approached it curiously. Her mind was yelling at her to forget about it and go back to Halloween Town, but it was as if a thick, hazy fog had descended upon her, clouding her thoughts other than what concerned the mysterious object.

She crouched down and saw that it was something gold, no bigger than the palm of her hand. Gingerly, she picked it up and dusted off most of the dirt that covered it. She gasped in shock, her expression a mixture of both surprise and terror. Her hands trembled as she held the heart shaped golden locket in her shaky grasp. It was the very piece of jewelry she had chucked into the woods three years ago after Eric had forgotten who she was that awful Christmas Eve. She was about to throw it again when she couldn't help but wonder how on earth it got in Halloween Town. She didn't know what but something compelled her to wipe off the remaining dirt on the front of the locket. Carefully, she dusted it off and her eyebrow arched in confusion. On the front of the locket was what looked like a red, painted hourglass.

"What the?" Amelia muttered.

All of a sudden, eight thin, prickly, black, grotesque legs sprouted out from the locket, causing the sorceress to gasp in horror. It suddenly _jumped_ out of her grasp and latched on her throat. Then, everything went black.

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Oooh I am so cruel. First an almost kiss, then an almost confession, then a would-be confession but Amelia goes missing! *evil laugh* Ok time to start fleeing from the mob...now! *runs*

***runs back for a sec* Don't forget to check out the sneak peek! *flees again***


	17. Missing

**Viola! The long awaited next chapter of TNHD! Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews! ^_^ So here's your reward! **

**But first, I have some great news! I'll be turning 18 this Wednesday, October 21!!!! 8D I'm so excited! X3 AND you guys should be too because on that day, as a treat for you wonderful readers, I'll be posting a oneshot =D So be on the lookout! **

**Now, enjoy the chapter~**

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The Pumpkin King paced incessantly around his room extremely anxious as he continuously glanced out the window down at the town below. He was still searching for any sign of his heir's reappearance, or a least a clue to where she might have gone.

"Could she have gone back to the human world?" He asked aloud. "No, no, she would have told me." He paced around for a few minutes before coming to a sudden stop.

"Is it that she didn't want me to go back with her? Did she not want me there anymore?" His face became stricken with fear and worry, but then he shook his head. "No, that can't be it either. But then…why would she just leave like that? This isn't like her."

"Could she possibly be pulling a prank on me? I wouldn't put it past her." He chuckled as he put his hands on his hips. "So I guess she must be back to normal finally if she's doing that sort of thing again. But…" He rubbed the back of his neck, "isn't this taking it a bit too far?"

He scratched his head as he pondered other possible options but none seemed to make any sense.

"Wait a minute…could she have possibly been…" his eyes widened in pure terror, "kidnapped?"

He shook his head and slumped into a chair. "Now I'm just jumping to conclusions. Everyone in Halloween Town loves her! No one would dare do such a thing, or even have a viable reason to!" He crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side as the thought for a moment.

"Wait," he gasped, "could it have been Oogie Boogie!? He's the only one low enough to pull such a vile stunt!" He shouted angrily as he jumped out of his chair. But then he fell back into it and took a deep breath to calm down, holding his head.

"No, he was banished from Halloween Town with a spell that Amelia herself cast." Jack stated as he recalled the Halloween disaster nine years ago, "So he couldn't have possibly returned even if he wanted to."

He stood up and resumed his pacing, holding his arms behind his back as he stared at the floor.

"Not to mention Amelia is an extremely powerful sorceress now and could more than handle herself if she ever did get into trouble. If she's not a master yet, she's certainly close. There is just no way could she have been taken." He stopped then turned to gaze out the window.

"So… what happened to her?"

A spectral mist quickly flew over to the worried skeleton man.

"Zero! Did you find anything?" Jack hastily asked, clasping his hands together with hope.

The ghostly canine solemnly shook his head as his long, floating ears drooped. The Pumpkin King lowered his head sadly, heaving a sigh of disappointment.

"Where could she have gone?" he mumbled sadly.

Another day passed and Jack's worry only increased with each passing second. He hopelessly searched every room in his house repeatedly, even the secret place where he had hidden the box which Alucard was sealed away in. But he hadn't been released nor were there any signs of anyone tampering with the box. Again he frantically searched all over town, asking anyone if they might have seen her, but turned up with nothing. He wanted to be able to search the human world, but the risk of time resuming because of his presence was too great of a chance to take. Not knowing what else to do, the Pumpkin King called for an emergency town meeting.

Worried chatter was spread amongst the citizens as they sat in Town Hall, waiting for Jack.

"This has never happened before!"

"It's suspicious."

"It's peculiar."

"It's scary!"

None of the citizens had been using their Halloween Speak as they talked to one another about the situation at hand. All of them turned toward the stage as Jack walked up to the podium.

"Settle down everyone." He asked and immediately the entire building was silent with their attention on toward him.

"I am certain most you all know why I have called this meeting, but in case you do not," he took in a deep breath as his face became stricken with dismay. "Our Princess, Amelia Brave, has gone missing."

A few gasps were heard among the crowd but mostly their expressions reflected the sadness everyone felt.

"She was last seen two days ago and no one has seen or heard from her since. I am certain she did not return to the human world for she wouldn't have done so without at least telling _someone_." He sighed, "So thus I cannot help but fear the worst. I believe she may have been taken."

Now there were several sharp intakes of breaths throughout the audience.

"I must be honest with you and say I haven't a clue who could possibly be the culprit, that is, if my assumption is correct. So if any of you have an idea as to who is behind this then please let me know as soon as possible." His eyes pleaded much more than his voice. "The fact that a _human_ has gone _missing_ in our world is very dangerous. If time was to resume itself on the other side then panic would surely ensue. So we must, at all costs, find Amelia." The volume of his tone increased as he said the last line.

"Therefore, I am ordering a town-wide search party. Also, there will be a select number of teams who will travel to the other holidays to search for her there, as well as to notify the other Holiday Leaders of her disappearance." Jack declared. "If we have everyone searching then we are bound to find her."

The Pumpkin King then proceeded to designate and organize the teams that would go to the other holidays in search of the missing sorceress. Almost immediately afterward, the citizens hastily fanned out to their assigned destinations, determined to find the Halloween Town royal. As Jack left Town Hall, dragging his feat in depression, he heard a familiar mechanical whir as someone came up next to him.

"I think I might have a way to locate Amelia," Doctor Finklestein stated, adjusting his glasses, "granted, it won't be precise. But it just might be enough to give us the needed information as to where she is."

"Really!? Oh anything will do Doctor, anything at all! Thank you so much!" Jack practically cried out in joy.

"But I will require something of Amelia's to track her," The scientist pressed his fingers together and arched an eyebrow, "a photo perhaps?"

"I have just the thing!" The skeleton man exclaimed happily.

"Good, meet me back at the lab as soon as you can."

With that as his cue to leave, Jack quickly dashed away back to his home to grab the picture Amelia had sent him a year ago. Just a few moments after the scientist had returned to his observatory home, the King of Halloween burst through the door and ran up the spiral incline.

"Will this do?" The skeleton man asked after catching his breath, holding the picture out to the slightly mad scientist. He regarded the picture for a moment and then gave a firm nod.

"Perfectly." he replied and proceeded to lead Jack through his laboratory until they came across a peculiar looking machine. It was big, square, and bulky, oddly resembling one of the first computers ever built, with a tall and awkwardly bent antenna on top of it.

Doctor Finklestein held out his hand for the picture and the respected king placed it in his grasp. The scientist then placed the image on a level piece of small, foggy glass attached to the machine. He closed the lid over it and, after a few seconds, a bright light emitted from behind the cover. The machine made a series of odd beeping sounds, whirs, and random colorful lights that flashed in a strange pattern. The doctor wheeled himself over to a nearby box that looked like a computer monitor as yellow numbers of coded information appeared on the green screen.

"Hmm…" Doctor Finklestein rubbed his chin as he pondered. "According to these coordinates, it appears that she is still in Halloween Town."

"_What_!?" Jack yelled in surprise for it was the last place he had expected her to be, considering all of his search efforts that he had thought to be in vain.

"I wouldn't call off the search parties just yet though for she could quite possibly leave before we even have a chance to find her." The scientist advised. "Not to mention it's good to let the other Holidays know about the situation at hand."

"O-of course, b-but if she's still in Halloween Town…" Jack's face fell as he began to think the worst possible conclusion.

"She's not dead." The doctor stated bluntly as though he had read his mind. "This tracker wouldn't have picked her up if she was."

The Pumpkin King heaved a great sigh in relief. From all the worry and lack of sleep, exhaustion finally began to take its hold on him. He slouched and let his arms dangle at his sides as a look of fatigue crossed his features.

"Jack, go home and get some rest, you obviously need it." Doctor Finklestein stated. "Don't worry, we'll find her. Who knows, she might find her way back soon." He chuckled, "She can't stay away from you for too long."

"Huh?" the skeleton man blinked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing," the genius, if slightly mad, scientist shrugged nonchalantly. "Just try to catch up on that lost sleep if you can."

"Alright." he replied tiredly and slowly turned on his heel when his friend's voice stopped him.

"You might want this back." The doctor said as he handed him back the picture of Amelia.

"Thank you." Jack gave a half-smile as he carefully took the image and tucked it inside his jacket. Wearily, he made his exit and trudged his way home in a depressed slump.

After another day of searching, no one turned up any information on the missing Armonia sorceress. All of the Holiday Leaders were notified and promised to keep a look out for her, but it felt that any ray of hope was getting slimmer as precious time continued to pass without any sign of the sorceress. It was as if the Princess of Halloween had vanished of the face of the earth.

Once again, Jack was pacing incessantly in his room, his face contorted with worry and something else that bordered on anger.

"This is insane!" He shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "She's been kidnapped, but by who!?"

His ever loyal ghostly companion floated up beside him and whimpered worriedly.

"I don't know what to do, Zero. I just don't know!" He cried out as he flopped into his chair. His eyes closed and propped his head up in his hand with his elbow on the desk, his expression still stricken with grief. He remained that way for several moments before his eyes snapped opened as he gasped with realization.

"Of _course_! Why didn't I think of that sooner!?"

Jack suddenly shot up and began to race around his room, pulling out assorted and random objects from a black cauldron to several oddly colored vials. He piled all of the potions and liquids onto his desk and then grabbed Doctor Finklestein's book which he had borrowed and still had yet to return. He opened it and flipped through several pages before coming across what he was looking for. Quickly reading over the instructions, he opened several of the vials and poured them into the cauldron. When they mixed, a small cloud puffed out from the pot, causing the sorcerer to cough a bit and wave the smoke away. He then held his hands over the concoction and his would-be brows furrowed as he stood completely still, concentrating. After a few minutes, the potion began to bubble before coming to a full boil. Letting out a deep breath, he relaxed his arms and went back to the book. He read over a passage several times before he turned back to the bubbling cauldron with a steady fog rolling over the brim. Jack carefully peered over to stare into the lavender colored liquid.

"Show me Amelia Brave."

The bubbles moved to form a ring along the sides of the cauldron as the pastel colored liquid in the center became smooth and glassy. A foggy substance began to surface in the sheen and gradually came into focus. Though fuzzy, Jack could make out a face but something was amiss.

"Huh?"

He saw that the person was female with long fiery red-brown hair, angry scarlet colored eyes, an odd tattoo which resembled a red hourglass on her forehead, and what seemed like long dark crimson scars that trailed down the sides of her lightly tanned face. Whoever this woman was, she was _not_ Amelia.

Jack leaned down to peer closer at the image for it was still hazy but slowly clearing up. Then suddenly, the whole potion was quickly becoming consumed in a black fog, causing the sorcerer to gasp in fear. He jumped away, landing sprawled on the floor as a large dark blast shot out of the cauldron, a thick smoke then emitting from it. Hesitantly, the skeleton man turned to look back at the aftermath, which was his tower becoming filled with a thin grey haze. Warily, he stood up with a fear-stricken expression as he gazed at the still smoking cauldron.

"No…" he breathed. "That can't be…"

He knew it could only mean one thing. The reason why he wasn't shown Amelia was because she has been taken prisoner by either an equally powerful, or most likely, a stronger sorceress.

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**Dun dun DUUUN!!! Ok readers, you know what this means! Our diabolical villain is about to make her entrance! **

**Ok now that I got the soap opera-ness out of me, there's just a particular funny bit I'd like to mention. That being Amelia's feelings are so blatantly obvious that even Doctor Finklestein has noticed XD Ah that is probably my favorite part, so tell me readers, what's **_**yours**_**? **

**Another note, I made a little announcement I would like you guys to read back up at the top in my Author's Note. Please and thank you! ^_^**


	18. The Rise of Black Widow

**Please Read: Ok everyone, I've got some semi-bad news. I will be switching back to my old update-once-every-two-weeks schedule. School work and musical rehearsals have finally swamped nearly all of my time that I really need the weekend to actually write the chapters now. So that was part of the reason for the delay on this chapter. So my next update probably won't be until not this friday but next friday. Maaaaaybe this friday if by some unforseen miracle, but don't count on it. **

**Sneak Peeks: Due to the fact that I'm behind on writing chapters, the sneak peeks will most likely not be posted on the update day like they have been. So I ask that you check back on the TNAB website periodically this week, I promise I'll get it up there as soon as I can! **

**Also, I appologize for the shortness of this chapter, I'm just not good with describing fight scenes...**

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The Pumpkin King worked tirelessly on a vast number of spells all through the night trying to locate Amelia, or at least her captor. But each time they would blow up in his face and he would start again from scratch. Whoever this dark sorceress was, she did _not_ want anyone to find her or her prisoner. Sometime in the morning, shortly after the jack-o-lantern sun had peeked over the horizon, exhaustion finally took its hold on him. Jack had collapsed in his chair and fell asleep with his head on his desk using the spell book as a pillow.

A few hours later, the skeleton man abruptly woke up at the sound of a loud, menacing boom roaring across town. Jack hastily jumped from his chair and dashed over to the closest window. He gasped at what he saw.

Oogie Boogie, twice his normal size, stomped through Town Square as his wicked cackle echoed over the land.

"_What_!? But _how_!?" Jack yelled in shock. A determined look came across his features and he raised his hand into the air. His body was then suddenly enveloped by the silhouettes cast from the various objects around the room. The now completely black figure quickly melted into the floor and the shadows returned to normal.

A mere second later, the shadow from a tree in the square became darker and elongated before it rose off the ground. It took on a familiar looking silhouette and an angry-looking Jack emerged. Wasting no time at all, he ran straight up to the notorious villain who was just about to smash a house.

"Oogie!" Jack shouted, catching the burlap-sack monster's attention. "You were banished from Halloween Town, so why are you here _destroying_ everything!?"

"What does it look like, bone-man? I'm taking _my_ town _back_!" The ex-Bug King declared.

"You picked the _wrong_ day to break that banishment spell." The skeleton man growled.

He snapped his fingers and a ball of flame appeared in his hand. Swiftly, he hurled it at the boogie man, the fire rapidly becoming larger as it approached its target. But surprisingly, Oogie just stood there with a smug look on his face, not even attempting to dodge the speeding, fiery missile. Just as the fireball was about to hit him, a dark figure suddenly darted upward and deflected the attack.

"What the!?" Jack looked up at the mysterious intruder who dared to protect the vile monster. He gasped in astonishment when he recognized the face of Amelia's captor.

Fiery red-brown hair came down to her shoulders, angry scarlet colored eyes, long dark crimson scars down the sides of her tan face, and the strange red hourglass tattoo on her forehead. It was definitely the sorceress he had seen before. But the rest of her appearance greatly took him by surprise.

She wore a black silk top that only covered one shoulder and came down to just above her flat stomach. Her revealed skin was also strangely tattooed with the same red hourglass over her abdomen and black slashes on either side of her waist. Attached to the top with crisscrossing thread was one red silk sleeve, which stopped at her elbow, as the rest of the material simply draped off her arm. On the opposite, a brown band with odd looking symbols was tied around her upper arm and the strands hung loosely from the knot. Around both wrists were shiny gold bangles and her nails were long, blood-red, and sharp. The black, silk, ankle-length skirt had long slits up either side to reveal her strong tan legs. A brown band on the top of the skirt attached two long pieces of material, each a different shade of red, which hung over her hips. Her feet were adorned with black, lethal-looking, strap high-heels. All in all, she had what seemed to be an Egyptian appearance. But the most curious article was what appeared to be a black widow spider over her collar bone that had its front four legs wrapped around her neck and the bottom four attached to the black top.

The sorceress hovered in the air for a moment as her piercing glare penetrated his own defiant gaze, actually causing the Pumpkin King to waver but only for a brief second. Quickly she descended, landing gracefully on the ground.

'I already knew she was powerful, but she may even be just as strong as I am.' He mentally commented to himself, 'I'll have to be on guard.'

"So, Oogie hired someone else to do the dirty work." Jack pointed out. However, his comment seemed to enrage her.

"Sorry to disappoint, but your pitiful assumption is far from true." Her voice was elegant yet laced with malice. "We merely have a common goal."

"And what would that be?" His eyes narrowed and clenched his fists.

"To rid the world of _you_!"

Before he realized what had happened, the sorceress was directly in front of him with a ball of fire in her hand. Just as she was about to strike, he swiftly jumped to the side managing to escape with only charring the lower part of his sleeve. She quickly spun around in a circle, unleashing a long fiery blaze that came too fast for Jack to dodge. He managed to bring his arms up to shield his face but the force of the impact knocked him to the ground. As the sorcerer hastily doused the flames on his sleeves he heard a menacing cackle ring out.

"Ha ha ha! Two strikes and The Pumpkin King is already down and out!" Oogie boomed with amusement.

However, Jack paid no mind to the giant burlap sack-like monster for his opponent was coming at him again. She made a motion as though to hurl a fireball at him, causing him to duck down. But then she suddenly shot at the ground and the inferno traveled along the ground at a rapid pace toward its skeletal target. The sorcerer managed to jump in the air just in time. As he was suspended, he quickly called forth all of the shadows on the ground and brought them up in a column around the sorceress. It caught her by surprise and didn't have enough time to escape before the darkness swallowed her. Jack levitated himself to land softly on his feet in front of the shadowy prison. He brought his hand up only to slice it through the air back down to his side and a few of the silhouettes dispersed. His opponent now looked as though she was trapped within a cylindrical prison and the separated shadows quickly bound around her wrists and ankles to keep her from attacking.

"Who are you and why have you teamed up with Oogie Boogie?" Jack demanded to know, using his tone of voice that was reserved only for speaking as the King of Halloween.

"Quick and to the point aren't you?" She replied with a sneer. He didn't respond, instead, his eyes narrowed in an icy glare.

"I am Black Widow," She finally stated, "and the only reason I'm with that bug-filled menace is because we both had something to gain, other than destroying you."

His eyes widened, "He wanted Amelia, why?" his glare returned as his anger began to boil, "I know you have taken her, where is she."

Black Widow's smirk only grew. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She suddenly broke her shadowy bonds as the rest of the prison became deformed and melted back to the ground. The sorceress suddenly shoved her shoulder into him, taking Jack by surprise and caused him to topple to the ground. He grunted in pain as he collided with the earth but hastily got back up just in time to dodge another one of her fiery missiles. The ground smoldered where he had stood just a mere second ago.

"Why are _you_ attacking me?" He asked after he had dodged another wave of fire.

"Because my hate for you burns hotter than any flame," she growled, "and I won't rest until you are dead _permanently_!" She faced her palm toward him and shouted, "_Orbis de incendia_!"

Jack suddenly found himself completely surrounded by a ring of fire quickly closing in on him.

"_Iacio_!" He called out, slicing both arms through the air in a downward motion and the flames quickly dispersed. But his eyes widened as he saw Black Widow flying just above the ground with her fist surrounded by fire and approaching him _fast_. He barely had enough time to wrap the nearest shadow around him and disappear into the ground. As soon as she realized he was gone, she halted her approach and landed on the ground. She crouched slightly as she continuously checked every direction, anticipating a surprise attack.

All of a sudden, she felt herself begin to sink. She quickly looked down to see a black hole beneath her already up to her ankles. Desperately she tried to fly out of the trap, but it only increased the speed in which she sank. Now the blackness had swallowed her up to her knees.

"Tell me where Amelia is!" Jack demanded after he had appeared a few yards in front of the captive sorceress.

"You will never find her." She looked up to him, a triumphant sneer across her face, "Even as we speak, she is slowly disappearing."

Black Widow then suddenly thrust her hand straight up into the air. A thin, vertical, invisible line shimmered from her hand up to a branch of a nearby tree. She curled her fingers into a fist and was abruptly pulled out of the black hole. The shadowy trap then faded away for its prisoner was gone. The sorceress back flipped in the air as she released the invisible line. Then, she moved into a mid-air dive, dashing toward her opponent.

Jack's fisted hands became surrounded by an eerie green glow but before he had time to put up a defense, his arms were suddenly yanked out to the sides as though he was welcoming her attack. The sorceress came to an abrupt stop just above the ground as she thrust her palms toward him. The Atrum felt his entire body become constricted by some invisible force and his arms snapped down at his sides. He couldn't move at all. Black Widow lifted both of her arms into the air and conjured a large flame, and then hurled it at him with great force.

Using quick thinking, Jack willed his own shadow to lift off the ground and shield him from the blast. He struggled to break the bonds and found them to be practically indestructible. Suddenly, his shadow was forcibly pushed back down by some unseen force as Black Widow slowly approached him.

"So _this_ is all that the great Pumpkin King has to offer? I must say, I'm rather disappointed."

"I ask again, why are you doing this? Why do you want to get rid of me?" He tried to keep his anger from showing in his tone. She smirked.

"Look around, Jack." She gestured with her hands to everything around them. Jack's eyes widened in absolute horror as he helplessly watched his beloved Halloween Town being swallowed up in flames. All of the buildings and houses were on fire as the people fled, only to be stopped by strange-looking skeletons, forcing them back into town. Then he heard Oogie's booming cackle ring out and he turned his head to see the very monster nearby, forcing the frightened citizens to bow down to him.

"No!" Jack shouted as he struggled again to break free.

"Ah, ah, ah." Black Widow's elegant yet tormenting voice caused him to turn, and that's when he saw the worst. She was standing triumphantly with that sneer across her face, and at her feet was the limp, unconscious body of Amelia Brave.

"NO! AMELIA!" His terror turned to rage and he became engulfed in an eerie green glow. He broke the invisible bonds and dashed at Black Widow.

Just as he jumped to strike her, she snapped her fingers and she and Amelia suddenly disappeared. Jack found himself flying through the air. He crashed back onto the ground and tumbled before he was back up in a crouched position, trying to anticipate her next move.

"This was only a warning." Her voice seemed to surround him on all sides yet he still couldn't see her. "Surrender the town to us or face the consequences!"

"I will never surrender to the likes of you!"

"Give up, or you will never see Amelia Brave again."

He desperately scanned the area for Black Widow and turned just in time to see Oogie quickly fade into nothing. The Town was safe, no longer ablaze for it never was, and the villains had seemingly vanished. The devastating scene, he realized, was only a vision but the problem at hand was very real.

'Taking Amelia was only part of a much bigger scheme.' Jack thought to himself as he clenched his fists in anger. 'Now I have to decide between the fate Halloween Town and the fate of Amelia.'

--

"Why didn't we take Halloween Town when we had the chance!?" Oogie roared, "We had Jack on the run! Just a little more and he would have easily given in! _I_ could have been _king_!"

"Can it you worthless sack of bugs!" Black Widow shouted angrily. "We accomplished what we set out to do," she calmed as she spoke, "Jack _is_ on the run, and has been given the impossible choice between his _precious_ Amelia Brave and his beloved town." She smirked triumphantly, "It won't be long now before we get him to crack, and maybe even beg for his life."

As she laughed manically, Oogie turned away and grumbled, "I still think we should have taken the town. It was practically offered to us on a silver plate."

She overheard his comment and spun on her heel to face him with a fierce, fiery glare.

"Need I remind you that if it wasn't for _me_, you never would have made it this far because that banishment spell would still be intact!"

He backed up, slightly surprised by her sudden outburst. But then his would-be eyes narrowed and he roared back.

"Need I remind _you_ that if it wasn't for _me_, you wouldn't even be here right now!"

"I would have found a way out on my own."

"After nine years of failure? I think not!"

"Her will was about to be broken anyway!"

"But she wouldn't have been broken enough for you!"

The two continued to argue as the trick-or-treating trio cowered nearby.

"I really don't like her being here." Lock commented.

"Me neither." Shock and Barrel replied in unison.

"But without her, Oogie Boogie never would have been able to begin his plan." The boy dressed as a skeleton pointed out. "Well, Black Widow redid the plan to make it better actually."

"I know, but she's even crueler than the boss!" the witch cried.

"You mean, crueler to us." The devil stated.

"Yeah, yeah." Shock waved him off.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!!!" Oogie Boogie bellowed his new partner and the whole lair shook, causing the trio to lose their balance and fall over one another.

"We are getting nowhere by arguing." He huffed as he calmed down from his angry outburst.

"Then let's drop the matter and get back to focusing on the next part of the plan." Black Widow declared as she crossed her arms, a miffed expression still written across her face.

"Which would be…?" he asked irritably.

"It's time to get Jack on the defense, more specifically, a threat." Black Widow stated as she put a hand on her hip, "He already believes that Amelia is in serious trouble and may never come back. We just need to bait him more, make him weak, and once that happens, we spring a trap on him."

Oogie cackled with glee. "Yes, and soon I'll be one step closer to becoming king! So," he rubbed his hands greedily, "when do we put this next phase into action?"

"Patience is a virtue we must all learn." Black Widow replied coolly, a smirk playing on her lips. "So don't worry your ugly little bugs about it. Soon Halloween Town will be yours. And Jack Skellington will die a torturous death at my hands." She clenched her fists with satisfaction as they became engulfed with bright flames.

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If you didn't read the author's note at the top of the page, then please go back and read it.

**Ok folks! Our diabolical villainess has made her appearance! Introducing Black Widow!!! If you'd like to see an image of her, check the TNAB website sometime this week or on my dA account. I'm working on scanning and uploading a picture of her. Please review!**


	19. A Nightmare, and Not the Good Kind

**Yes I'm finally updating! And ooohhhh do I have an intense chapter for you! Also, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, including some of our new fellow readers! =D Anyway, on with the chapter!**

**Note: Be sure to check out the gallery on the TNAB website because I've posted a picture of Black Widow, a cute drawing Elin did, and my awesome birthday present from Crimson ^_^**

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Jack Skellington was once again nervously pacing in his tower the next evening, glancing out the window every so often at the crescent moon.

"How on earth could this have happened!?" he shouted, "I don't even _know_ this Black Widow yet she will stop at nothing to _kill_ me!" he nervously wringed his hands and his would-be eyebrows furrowed as he tried to think of possible explanations.

"Could it have something to do with Amelia?" he asked aloud, "Did she have a run-in with that nefarious sorceress before and just never mentioned it?" He then shook his head, "No, because then Black Widow would be targeting her instead of me. So, what did I _do_?" he let out a frustrated groan.

"Oh this just doesn't make any sense!" he slumped into a chair next to the blazing fireplace. He closed his eyes and propped up his head in the palm of his hand.

"_You will never find her…Even as we speak, she is slowly disappearing…" _Black Widow's words echoed through his mind causing his eyes to snap back open. He slouched forward, putting his face in his hands.

"What did she mean by that?" he spoke barely above a whisper. "Oh Amelia…please be alright." After a moment of silence, he lifted his head with a fierce glare across his features.

"I want nothing more than to just barge into the lair and beat that vile Oogie Boogie to a pulp! If only he didn't have Black Widow on his side!" he sighed, "No wonder he recruited her. She's a formidable opponent, one who I can't hope to beat without using every spell I know." He sighed again and gazed gloomily at the ground.

"This is all my fault." he declared after a moment and he sat up straight. "I'm supposed to be the one to protect her and I just _let_ her fall into the enemy's hands."

Zero whimpered sympathetically as he floated over to his master's side.

"I don't know Zero…if only I had gone outside to see her just a few seconds earlier I might have been able to prevent this whole disaster." He laced his bony fingers together and he propped up his chin. "But then, I might have only delayed the inevitable…"

"Well, that's all in the past now." He abruptly stood up, startling his ghostly companion. "No sense in wallowing over what could have happened. The fact of the matter is that Amelia is in trouble, and I swear on my very soul that I will save her." His determined look faltered back into worry.

"But how?" he crossed his arms and sighed, "I'll think of something…"

The ghostly canine glided up beside his master again and whined as his ears drooped.

"I miss her too, Zero, like you couldn't imagine…"

A while later Jack decided that maybe in sleep he would figure out how to rescue Amelia. Though once he was in bed, terrible thoughts about what could possibly be happening to her haunted him. Finally, his mind succumbed to tiredness and he fell asleep.

"_Wha? How did I get here?" I asked no one in particular as I suddenly found myself in the hallway. _

_I gasped in surprise when I heard a small giggle and, curiosity once again getting the better of me, followed the sound. I carefully peered into the practice room with the mirror-lined wall. To my surprise, I saw Amelia in a breath-taking black dress spinning around. She stopped and laughed a beautiful bell-like sound. I couldn't help but smile, and then muttered a spell under my breath. _

_All of a sudden, the light dimmed as floating candles appeared throughout the room. Amelia paused and glanced around in a confused daze. Quietly, I entered the room. _

"_Good evening Amelia," my greeting apparently caught her off-guard for she gasped and turned on her heel to face me. A light blush splashed across her face, oh how I love it when that happens._

"_H-hello J-Jack." She stuttered and I couldn't help but chuckle. _

"_Forgive me if I startled you." I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I soon found myself bowing to her and then offering my hand, "Would a dance make it up to you?" _

_She blushed brighter at the unexpected invitation, much to my amusement. After a moment, she nodded and gently placed her hand in mine. I felt a spark as our hands touched, but I paid no mind as I pulled her close to me. I instinctively placed my free hand on her waist as hers rested on my shoulder._

"_What about music?" She asked._

_I couldn't help but smile and then snapped my fingers. Beautiful orchestra music filled the room which played a classical waltz tune. I knew it was the perfect song for her. I spun her in a graceful circle, pulled her back to me, and then began to lead her in the waltz. We had danced many times before, but something felt different about this one. Our movements were more graceful and fluid, more perfectly in time, but there was something coursing through me, and I could tell she felt it too. _

_Our gazes met once more and I felt myself becoming lost in those two cyan blue oceans. It was as though we were peering into each other's soul. Her soft, happy expression filled me with an inexpressible joy. It was something only she could do and no one else. I knew she felt the same way I did, I just knew it._

_The song softly came to a close and I held her close to me, even more so than when we began. Oh how I wish I could just keep her in my arms forever. She shyly looked up at me and there was the tint of pink that would spread across her face whenever we were together like this. Before she could say anything, I held my hand between us and snapped my fingers. Within my grasp appeared a black rose. I smiled as she gazed at the flower in awe, and then carefully placed it in her soft, light brunette hair. I held back a chuckle as she turned a darker shade of red and looked away. But then, I heard her gasp softly as she stared at our reflection in the mirror-lined wall. The black rose really did accent her stunning beauty. I turned to gaze at our reflected image and smiled warmly. There was absolutely no one else in the world I would rather spend a moment like this with. She is the one I can't seem to stop thinking about, she is the one I care for so deeply, she is…_

_I looked away, gently cupped her chin, and turned her gaze back toward me. My eyes began to close and I found myself leaning in toward her, and she didn't seem to be pulling away. Instead, she did the same. Her eyes became half-lidded as she tilted her head up to me. _

_Suddenly, I didn't feel her anymore. My eyes snapped open and I gasped in surprise to find that she had vanished. But not only her, the entire room as well. I was standing alone in pitch darkness. I couldn't even see my own hand in front of my face! Quickly I conjured up a flame in the palm of my hand. _

"_Amelia?" I called and looked around for her, but all I couldn't see anything. _

"_Amelia!"_

_I sprinted off into the black abyss, searching for any sign of her, or of Halloween Town for that matter. I don't know how long I was running and calling her name, but after what seemed like an excruciating eternity, I saw something up ahead. I dashed toward it and the figure came into focus. I skidded to a halt, gaping at what I saw. _

_There stood Oogie Boogie with a triumphant sneer across his gruesome face, but to my utmost horror, the trio came into view carrying an unconscious Amelia. _

"_Perfect! Our plan is working like a charm!" Oogie cackled and the trio joined in with the laughter as they haphazardly dropped the sorceress to the ground. _

"_What's next boss?" Barrel asked giddily. _

"_We enlist the help of our new comrade." The monster grinned. _

"_GET AWAY FROM HER!" I yelled at the top of my lungs and dashed toward them. But before I knew what had happened, all of them quickly faded into the blackness and I was once again left alone. _

"_What's going on here!?" I shouted and kept turning myself around in hopes of catching a glimpse of either Oogie or Amelia. _

_Out of the corner of my eye I saw a red light and quickly whipped around toward it. It grew brighter and brighter to the point where I had to shield my eyes. But it soon died down and a familiar laughter rang through the air. My eyes went wide and had I any blood, I'm sure it would have run cold. There before me, levitating in the air was Black Widow. _

"_Finally, I am free!" she shouted with evil glee. "Now I can take back what is rightfully mine and _destroy_ that worthless excuse for a king!" she softly landed onto the ground. "And once I get Oogie out of the picture, nothing will stop me from taking control of Halloween Town and the rest of the holidays." _

_She let out another shrill cackle before she too faded back into the shadows. Suddenly, a high pitched scream rang out. A deathly cold chill ran through my entire body as I recognized it. _

"_AMELIA!!!" _

_I bolted toward the source of the sound, panting heavily from the burst of adrenaline. I came to an abrupt stop when I approached something grey and square sticking out from the ground. My breath left me entirely and I collapsed to my knees. It was a grave. It was Amelia's grave. _

"_No…no…No! NO!!!" _

_I held either side of my head with my hands as I became stricken with the most intense agony I have ever known. My heart was ripped to shreds and my very soul withered into nothing. Tears formed and cascaded down my face, but no longer did any sound escape me. And that's when I heard it. It was low at first but slowly grew with intensity. A wicked laugh, one so sinister, so cruel, so purely evil, that it even scared _me_. I looked up and the tombstone was gone. Instead, towering over me was none other than the dark sorceress, Black Widow. _

"_You have lost Jack. You failed. You cannot save her. It is too late and it was all because of you." Her words continued to echo over and over as she disappeared, yet they still remained after she was long gone. _

"NO!" Jack had shot up in bed, his eyes wide and his hand reaching out in front of him. He remained still for several moments. He didn't even speak when Zero rushed over to him with a worry-stricken expression. The ghostly canine whimpered and nudged his master's arm. The sensation finally caused Jack to snap out of his daze.

"Huh? Wha? Zero?" he looked at his faithful friend, "It was…just a dream?" He let out a sigh of exhaustion and held his head in his skeletal hands. "No, it was a nightmare, and not the good kind." He kept quiet for a moment, then softly whispered. "Black Widow…is she going to kill Amelia?"

--

"Where am I?"

Amelia had finally opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was the locket sprouting spider legs and latching onto her throat. Now, she found herself standing alone, everything around her shrouded in darkness. She brought up her hand to her face and couldn't even see it. But then, she thought she noticed something and peered closer.

"What the!?" she realized that her hand was transparent, barely visible at all. She glanced down and saw that her entire body was exactly the same way.

"What happened to me!?" she cried and became panic-stricken. "W-What's going on!? How did I get here!? Why am I practically _invisible_!?" she gasped with shock, "Am I _dead_!?"

She placed her hand over her chest and felt her rapidly beating heart. "Okay…I'm still alive. That's a good thing…I think."

The sorceress warily stepped forward, wandering through the darkness.

"Hello?" she called, "Is anyone here? Hello?" She repeated over and over but all she got in response was her own echo. After a while she gave up and kept walking absentmindedly.

Amelia didn't know how long she had wandered, but finally she spotted something in the distance. It was a small but bright light. She hurried her pace until she was running straight at it. The object came into view and she began to slow as soon as she realized what it was.

'A _mirror_?' she thought but still approached it. It was indeed an old antique mirror that appeared to be hanging on an invisible wall. Cautiously, she peered inside. Instead of her reflection, or what was left of it, she saw a room. It appeared to be a young girl's bedroom by the pink wallpaper and bed. There were white dressers, matching vanity and chairs. A bookshelf filled with children's stories. The room was mostly dark except for the light that came in from the hallway outside of the door. Suddenly the room was illuminated by a nearby lamp and Amelia quickly ducked away.

"Read me a story daddy, please?" A little girl's voice asked. A masculine voice chuckled.

"Ok sweetie, what do you want to hear tonight?"

"Sleeping Beauty!"

"Alright, let me find the book…"

Amelia curiously peered back into the mirror and saw the father searching through the bookshelf as the little girl got underneath her bed covers and eagerly waited for him to begin telling the story.

The sorceress quietly slinked away but stopped when she came across another mirror. It was square, small, and rather bland-looking. Carefully Amelia peered into it and saw what looked like a pre-teen boy's room. Footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, and baseballs littered the room. Every sports poster imaginable covered the walls and several jerseys and uniforms were crammed into the closet that seemed about ready to burst open at any minute.

"You're reading her _another _story, dad!?" a boy's voice shouted from down the hall. "She woke me up last night because she thought the wolf from Little Red Ridding Hood was in her closet!" He stormed into the room but spun on his heel when the girl responded.

"I had a nightmare!"

"That's enough you two." The father ordered. "Mike, leave your sister alone. Amy, don't wake up your brother in the middle of the night."

The two siblings grumbled and the boy closed his door. He turned and glanced at his mirror.

"What the?" he said and hurried over to it, causing Amelia to hastily dive down and away from the mirror. However, she could see him squinting at the glass.

"I guess I just imagined it…" he muttered and walked away.

The sorceress let out a sigh in relief and got up from the place she had crouched out of view.

"So the mirrors act like windows?" she asked herself, arching an eyebrow in confusion. "Does that mean I'm not even on earth anymore? Or am I in some sort of parallel dimension?" she scratched her head and continued to walk. "Well, wherever I am, I'm stuck. But if that boy could see me, maybe I can find someone who can help me. Maybe I can find a mirror to Halloween Town!"

As if on cue, several more mirrors became illuminated before her. She turned and found that she was surrounded on all sides by them as far as the eye could see.

"Well, this is going take a while…"

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**Dun dun DUUUNNN What on earth is this crazy authoress up to!? Please review and check out TNAB's Gallery!!! ^_^**


	20. The Plan

**Hello everyone! Long time no update, neh? XD Well anyway, I have one action-packed chapter for you ^_^ Also, be sure to check the TNAB website sometime this weekend, I hope to post the sneak peek! Also, be sure to check out the gallery for pictures of Black Widow if you haven't already seen them =D **

**On with the story!**

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Jack climbed up the ladder to one of the top shelves on the vast bookcase. He skimmed his index finger over the spines until he came across what he was looking for.

"Aha!" he pulled out the book entitled _Mythical Beings and Creatures_. He turned around, sat on a ladder step, and began to flip through the pages.

"It's got to be in here somewhere." he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Here it is!" he exclaimed and held the book closer to his face. He carefully read over the passage with the heading 'Flamma Sorcerers.'

_Flammas are one of the four types of elemental sorcerers. This particular bloodline has the ability to manipulate fire in any shape or form. A full fledged Flamma has the ability to control fire at will without the use of incantations. They are natural warriors and very hot-tempered. _

_The one true weakness of Flammas lies with their elemental opposite, water. If they are surrounded by a column of water with the use of a spell, they cannot escape it. Magic water burns their skin and cancels out their powers for a brief period of time. _

"Ha ha! That is just what I was looking for!" Jack beamed. "Black Widow is most certainly a Flamma, and now I have a way to defeat her! But what of those odd invisible bindings?" he grasped his chin as he pondered, "It would make sense if it was some form of spider's silk, hence her name. But I do not know of any type of sorcerer with that particular ability."

He skimmed through the book, trying to find any information about magically endowed thread, but came up with nothing.

"Well, at least with the information this book gave me, I have a spell to use against her." he then grumbled, "How I wish I was some sort of water mage, then the situation would be in my favor."

"Okay, so now that I have a defense that can be used to take down Black Widow, how will I find out where Amelia is? Even if I use some sort of threat, I doubt she would tell me. So how can I save Amelia if I don't even know where to find her?" he heaved an exasperated sigh, "All that I know is she's somewhere in Halloween Town." he grasped his chin in thought, "Maybe I could scare it out of Lock, Shock, and Barrel. I'm certain they would know where Amelia was being kept."

After a moment he stepped down from the ladder, placed the book on his desk and picked up the one beside it.

"I had better get working on that spell. I can't hope to bring down Oogie Boogie with Black Widow on his side. Who knows when they will make their next appearance," Jack stated and opened up the spell book.

For hours he practiced and perfected the technique, and just when he was finally satisfied that he had nearly mastered it, a loud crash echoed throughout the town. Jack hastily dashed over to his window to gaze outside and, to his horror, saw none other than the dastardly duo rampaging through the town. This time, however, Black Widow was flying through the air, setting some of the buildings ablaze for real as Oogie terrorized the citizens into bowing before him. Jack didn't waste another second. He was suddenly in the middle of all the commotion.

"_Cancellare_!" he swept his hand through the air and the flames were suddenly extinguished.

"Cease this destruction immediately!" The Pumpkin King shouted angrily, causing the boogie man and his evil companion to turn their attention toward him.

"Pah, we can take out this twiggy skeleton _easily_." Oogie cackled, but was silenced by Black Widow raising her hand defiantly. However, she never glanced at Oogie for she held Jack's determined gaze with a fierce one of her own. She recognized the challenge.

"No," she said slowly, "I want to go at this alone."

"But—" Oogie was cut off by her fiery glare, shutting him up immediately.

Black Widow quickly descended to stand a mere few feet away from the Atrum sorcerer. "So you finally got the guts to challenge me on your own. Did that annoying Doctor Finklestein put them in for you?"

"You're actually using childish bully tactics against me, the _King_ of Halloween?" he scoffed, "You disappoint me."

"Humph, even though you're a skeleton, it surprises me that you actually have a backbone."

"I thought spiders were supposed to be silent."

"Yeah, so we can creep up on prey easily after they've been caught in our trap."

"You certainly talk an awful lot then."

"I don't need a trap or sneaky tactics to take _you_ down."

Jack smirked, "Prove it."

Before she realized what happened, a blast of eerie green light struck her, sending her skidding backwards several feet.

"Heh, it's about time," Black Widow sneered, "I was getting tired of the banter." She suddenly flew at him with her lightning fast speed and blazing fire in both of her hands.

But Jack acted quickly, bringing up the nearby shadows to wrap around him. Just as she was about to strike, he melted into the ground.

"Come out you coward!" Black Widow shouted as she readied herself for him to strike.

Suddenly a long, slithering black shadow wrapped around her body, which tightened every time she struggled. Jack surfaced again from the ground and approached her.

"I see you're not kidding around this time." Black Widow managed to comment despite being unable to move.

The Pumpkin King didn't say a word as he raised his hand and curled his skeletal fingers into a fist. Black Widow yelped in pain as the shadow constricted again, but still she kept her head up and her fierce red eyes on him.

"I'm surprised…you've yet…to threaten me…to tell you where…Amelia is…" She managed to gasp out, obviously not ready to give in.

"Why bother, I know I'll get an answer out of you when I defeat you."

"I doubt that…bone-man." She closed her eyes and her body became visibly relaxed. Against Jack's will, the shadows carefully set her down and released her.

"What the!?" was all Jack was able to say before he had to dodge a speeding blaze of fire.

"I plan to burry you six feet under before you even get a _chance_ to defeat me!" the sorceress came back at him and lashed out a wave of flames.

Jack decided to fight fire with fire and shot his own scorching blaze at her attack. The two infernos struck, engulfed themselves and vanished. But the Pumpkin King soon realized that his adversary had disappeared as well. As if on cue, something roped around him and yanked him backwards several yards before he landed on his back. Then he was suddenly hoisted into the air, dangling helplessly from the invisible thread that seemed to be wrapped around the tree branch above him.

"I always knew you were a fool but I didn't realize you were _this_ pathetic." Black Widow retorted as she coolly approached him.

"You forget that you're dealing with the King of Halloween, I have many tricks up my sleeve." Jack smiled triumphantly and what had appeared to be dead leaves on the tree suddenly flew off and attacked Black Widow. She hastily tried to swat them away but they swarmed her, scratching her skin and tearing her clothes. The sorceress tried to conjure up a flame but each time she lifted her hand, it was immediately barraged.

'Those bats will keep her busy for a while,' Jack thought to himself, 'hopefully just enough that I can…' He closed his eyes and after a moment, the tree's shadow split in two and came up to him. They grasped the invisible bindings and pulled. The strong silk didn't budge for several seconds before it finally gave out.

Jack hastily leaped out of the trap and landed crouching on the ground. He was shocked to find Black Widow standing perfectly still, with her eyes closed, taking the brunt of the bats fanatic bites and scratches. Then suddenly, her entire body became engulfed in flame, causing the bats to flee in terror. She rose into the air and opened her eyes which were also brightly ablaze.

"You, Jack Skellington, will never again see the light of day!" she screamed and dived at him with lightning fast speed, so fast that the Pumpkin King didn't even have the chance to blink, let alone defend himself. She drove him hard into a nearby wall, causing the skeleton man to shout in pain.

Black Widow jumped away from him, levitating just above the ground as he lay slumped against the stone wall.

"You think you're a hero, Jack? Look around at the town you so desperately tried to protect." She made a sweeping gesture with her arm toward the center of Town Square.

Oogie Boogie towered over the cowering citizens, some even banged up from trying to protect their home. The three miscreant henchmen were rounding up the remainder of the townspeople who had fled, bringing them to join the group bowing before the giant boogie man.

"You have failed. Halloween Town is now ours, and the only one left to stand in our way is _you_." she spat, "The choice is yours, surrender now or else Amelia will be gone forever."

"I think I'll take the third option." He smiled.

"What?"

Jack suddenly jumped up, outstretched his arm toward the nearby fountain, and lifted all of its water into the air. Before she could prepare to counter, shadows from the ground shot up and wrap around her ankles. As she struggled to break free, Jack called out the incantation as he moved the water.

"_Parietis de unda_!"

The water formed into a tall column surrounding Black Widow on all sides. The liquid wall then quickly collapsed on her, dousing her fire. The shadows binding her suddenly let go and she fell back down to the solid earth with a loud thud. Jack let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding, but remembered to keep his guard up as the sorceress gradually lifted herself up onto her hands and knees.

"And what was _that_ supposed to do?" She quickly stood and summoned a flame into the palm of her hand.

"What!? B-but how!?" Jack stuttered in shock and Black Widow just scoffed.

"Heh, you thought I was a Flamma didn't you? Well you certainly were a fool to assume that!" she slowly approached him, "I really thought you were smarter than that, Jack. There is another bloodline that can manipulate the elements, including shadows, just as well as any elemental type sorcerer."

She then hurled the ball of fire at him, to which he quickly dodged. But then she began to launch several fiery missiles at him, one right after another. Jack hastily evaded each one, but a few did graze him and burn his clothing. It was becoming quite obvious that the skeleton man was exhausted, and that's when he took the wrong step, directly in front of Black Widow's path.

"_Orbis Carcer_!" she shouted, her hand outstretched toward him. Immediately Jack was trapped within a giant red orb that was quickly closing in on him.

"You really are pathetic," the dark sorceress cackled, "and to think you actually thought you could rescue Amelia and protect your precious Halloween Town, ha!"

"Amelia…what have you…done to her?" he panted as he struggled to keep the orb from getting any smaller by pushing against its walls, his hands surrounded by an eerie green glow.

"I suppose I could let you know a little more about what has happened to your precious heir just so I can see the look on your face." she snickered, "As we speak, Amelia is slowly being sealed away into another world. The more she disappears, the more her form becomes solid in the other dimension. And within a few days, once she becomes fully tangible, there is no hope of bringing her back."

Jack's eyes went wide with an aghast, terror-stricken expression. "Where is she!?" he demanded.

"I am sorry, Mr. Skellington, for even I do not know exactly where she is. Not that I really care anyway."

"You vile, loathsome, vicious, horrible witch!" Jack yelled, his anger fueling him even further to break out of his prison, which only caused Black Widow to laugh with cruel glee. However, she gasped when the orb which encased him suddenly began fading and expanding. This was obviously not the Atrum's doing for his facial features expressed that he was just as shocked as she was.

"No!" she whipped her head around to gaze out at the horizon, colored with oranges, reds, and purples from the setting sun. She swore under her breath and turned back to the skeleton man.

"This is your _last_ warning, Jack. We will be back and Halloween Town will be ours!" Black Widow dashed over to where Oogie and the trio were and all five of them quickly became enveloped in a thick smokescreen.

The red orb that held Jack captive finally disappeared completely and he dropped to the ground, landing safely on his feet. As he looked back up, the villains were gone and everyone seemed to be dumbfounded as to exactly what had just happened. Jack let out an exhausted sigh and slumped against the nearby wall, the same one he had been slammed into earlier. He slid down it until he was in a sitting position with his bony knees sticking up awkwardly and his arms resting tiredly at his sides.

"Jack! Jack!" the Mayor called, his face turned to his pale worried expression as he ran up to the Pumpkin King, "What in Halloween's name just happened!?"

"I…don't know." the weary sorcerer breathed, "I don't know why they left when they had the perfect opportunity to take over. But I do know one thing's for certain. They will be back and next time they won't leave until they've won."

"B-but we can't let that happen!"

"I know I have to defeat Black Widow if I want to stop Oogie. But I still have no idea what I'm really going up against."

"But you're the King of Halloween! If anyone would know how to take down this Black Widow person, surely it's you!"

"I don't know if I can, Mayor. She's strong, and I'm starting to believe she's far _too_ strong for me to handle…alone…" Jack's eyes became distant as he stared at the ground. The Mayor quickly realized what he was thinking about.

"What I mean, Mayor, is that I don't know what kind of sorceress I'm going up against." The Atrum further explained after a moment. "And since I don't know, I can't figure out a weakness, and if I can't figure that out…then I can't win."

"You can't just give up!"

"I never said I was giving up." Jack said sternly, but then his expression became calmer as he stood up, "Have the citizens begin repairing the damages, and tell them to be prepared for another attack."

"Of course, but what will you do about Black Widow and Oogie Boogie?" the Mayor asked.

"I…I just need to figure out a better plan." he held his hands behind his back and began to walk off. The Mayor didn't say another word, only watched forlornly as the king dragged his feet as he made his leave.

'What, or more precisely _who_ I need,' the skeleton thought, 'is Amelia.'

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Aaawww D: So sad *sniffles* What did you all think? Please review and tell me! Also, be sure to check out the TNAB website sometime this weekend, I hope to post the sneak peek! And be sure to take a look at the gallery for pictures of Black Widow!


	21. The Mirror Dimension

**I swear to you I'm not dead! XD I just had some...major issues with this chapter ^^; Anyway, I won't talk much about it because I'm sure you're just skipping this and going straight to reading. But if you are, thank you! I'll be replying to those reviews from last chapter now, sorry for the looooong wait heh heh...**

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Later that night, Jack was overcome with worry as he felt the seconds slowly slipping away. The ticking clock continually reminded him that time was quickly running out. His mind was distraught, his eyes were tired from lack of sleep, and his body was sore from the day's scuffle.

Gloomily he wandered down the long corridor of his home with his hands behind his back, dragging his feet, solemnly staring at the floor. He stopped and lifted his head. He found himself gazing at the door to Amelia's room. A painful chord was struck within his undead heart. Slowly, he opened the door and quietly walked into the bedroom. It was dark but dimly lit by the starlight streaming through the window in the moonless night sky.

He walked over to Amelia's bed, neatly made, and noticed a small stuffed animal lying against the pillow. It was the teddy bear he had given to her when she was but a little girl. Gingerly, he lifted the bear and sat down on the edge of the black silk bed. He studied the stuffed animal's happy expression. Its sewn-on smile, shiny button eyes, and arms out as if welcoming a hug. It was a child's perfect friend. But now, it was a painful memory for Jack. He looked up and saw a black box that gleamed on top of the dresser in front of him. Slowly he lifted his hand, made an upward gesture, and the lid opened. An all-too familiar melody began to play. Jack looked back down at the bear in his hands and felt a small tear slide down the side of his face.

"Amelia." he whispered, "Oh how I miss you. I'm at a loss without you." He set the bear aside and clasped his hands together. "I just don't know what to do. How do I rescue you when I don't even know where you are?" he paused for a few moments and let his mind wander.

He thought back to the day he had given her the music box, along with the blue pendant which he had hidden inside it. He remembered how her eyes sparkled when the tune began to play, how her smile spread, and the small gasp that escaped her when she discovered the necklace. Goosebumps appeared on her when his hands gently brushed against her skin as he placed the pendant around her. He thought back to how his hands might have rested on her shoulders a mere second longer than they should have. Then, she turned toward him with a light blush splashed across her face as she thanked him.

The memory soon melted into the scene where he held her close just after their dance, which, unbelievably, had only happened nearly a week ago. He easily remembered the feel of her hand in his and the small electric shock it sent through him. How again her cheeks were flushed and her ocean-colored eyes were half-lidded. How her soft lips were slightly parted and a small gasp escaped through as he began to close the space between the two of them. She didn't back away, instead, she moved toward him as he was about to…

His heart ached again at the thought. The music box melody finished and a new one began to play, _Hushabye Mountain_. Reminiscing, Jack sang with it.

_It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain,_

_And your boat waits down by the key. _

_The winds of night so softly are sighing,_

_Soon they will fly your troubles to sea._

_So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain._

_Wave goodbye to cares of the day, _

_And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain, _

_Sail far away from lullaby bay. _

His voice broke as he felt more tears begin to form. He didn't sing anymore though the music box continued to play.

"Amelia," he breathed, "where are you?"

"_Jack…_"

"Even now I hear your voice."

"_Jack_."

"Its beautiful, melodic sound that even angels would be envious of."

"Jack!"

"Wha!?" he whipped his head around to the source of the sound which he thought had just been his imagination. He gasped when his eyes fell upon the mirror in the corner of the room. There, in the reflection, was Amelia Brave.

"Amelia?" he whispered in disbelief and then his eyes lit up with joy, "Amelia!" he dashed over to the mirror.

"It's really you! I can't believe it's you! You're alive! Why are you in the mirror? How did they do this to you!? Are you okay? What on earth happened to you!?" his words were so fast and fused together that the sorceress in the glass almost didn't understand him. He continued to rattle off questions until she interrupted him.

"Jack! Calm down! Yes, I'm alright and…" she then blinked in surprise, "You really think angels would be envious of my voice?"

"Erm, well, what I mean to say is…Um, you see…N-now wait a minute, that's not important right now. I should be the one asking the questions. What is important is what on earth happened to you?"

"Oh. Well," she hesitated, "I…don't really know."

"Don't know!?"

She solemnly shook her head, "No. The last thing I remember is finding my old locket, and then legs sprouted from it! It latched onto my neck, and the next thing I knew, I'm in this crazy place!" she gestured to the space around her.

Jack remained silent, not meeting her gaze. "It's…It's Black Widow's doing."

"Who?" Amelia asked as she arched an eyebrow.

"Black Widow, she's this dark, vile, witching sorceress who showed up shortly after you disappeared." he began and looked back up to her, "She's teamed up with Oogie Boogie and twice now has tried to take over Halloween Town. But I have been able to hold them off…sort of." He blinked, finally taking in her appearance. "Amelia…I can see right through you!"

"Yeah, about that…" her eyes shifted, "When I first arrived wherever I am, I was practically invisible. But now, I'm slowly regaining my physical form."

Black Widows words rang in his head and he felt a sharp pain within his chest.

'_Amelia is slowly being sealed away into another world. The more she disappears, the more her form becomes solid in the other dimension. And within a few days, once she becomes fully tangible, there is no hope of bringing her back.'_

"I…know what's happening to you." Jack sighed sadly while the woman in the mirror stared at him in surprise. "Black Widow has trapped you somehow in a different world."

"A different _world_!?"

"Yes, and the more solid you become, the closer you are to being sealed away permanently."

"_What_!?"

"She's using you to get to me so I will surrender Halloween Town. I guess she's the only one who can reverse the process." he paused a moment, "But if I knew where you were exactly, maybe there's a chance I could get you out. Amelia, describe the place you're in."

"Well, everything is completely black but there are mirrors everywhere! And they act like windows into the _real_ world, so to speak. In fact, that's how I was able to find you." she smiled, "I heard you singing _Hushabye Mountain_ and I was able to find the right mirror."

"Oh, really." he would have been blushing had he any skin, "Well I'm glad I helped."

"Wait a minute," she peered into the mirror, "why are you in my room?"

"Er…well…n-now hold on," he shook his head, "we're getting off-topic again. Now, you say there are several mirrors everywhere?"

"Yeah, and they're levitating, I think. They really are just all over the place." She stopped when Jack suddenly snapped his fingers.

"I know where you are. You're in the Mirror Dimension!"

"The wha?"

"The Mirror Dimension. It's a strange world of which no one knows its origin or why it exists. But as you said, it's a sort of window into the outside world."

"Hey, Elizabeth was sealed into a mirror but she was able to appear in both my Victorian mirror as well as the one in my room. Was she sealed into the Mirror Dimension?"

"It's quite possible if not true." Jack said with interest.

"So that means…you _can_ get me out of here! We can use the Soul Release spell!" she exclaimed with excitement and hope.

"I'm afraid…that's not possible Amelia." he replied warily.

"Huh!?" her face fell, "Wha…What do you mean!?"

"The fact that only half of you is in the Mirror Dimension while the rest is here, somewhere, means I cannot perform the spell."

"What!? No! There must be _some_ way!" the sorceress pleaded.

"I'm sorry, there's no spell I know that could be used in this situation." Jack said sadly.

"B-but what if we wait until I'm fully solid? Will you be able to do it then?" her face fell even more when he shook his head solemnly.

"No, the spell Black Widow is using will permanently seal you into the Mirror Dimension with no possible way out. Not even the strongest spell cast by the strongest sorcerer could break it." Jack could no longer meet her gaze. It pained him enough that he was crushing her hopes, but his heart crumbled at the sorrowful look across her fragile features.

"I don't know what to do." he spoke quietly knowing his voice would surely break. "I can't see any way around that blasted curse."

"Well, why haven't you stopped Black Widow yet?"

"I've tried, but she's incredibly strong, maybe even stronger than I am." He said forlornly while Amelia just rolled her eyes.

"Since when have you thought strength was the only way to win?"

"Huh?" he blinked in confusion.

"You're the _King_ of Halloween!" she exclaimed, "You of all people would know that using sneaky tactics and turning someone's strength into a weakness would be the downfall of anyone!"

"But…I feel like I've tried nearly everything and nothing seems to work." he protested.

"Jack, you know that you don't have a lot of time left. You've _got_ to figure out a way to defeat her! If you don't, then not only will Halloween Town be ruled by that no-good Oogie Boogie, I…" she drifted off, not meeting his gaze.

"I'll lose you too." he finished for her. The two remained silent for a while before Amelia spoke again.

"That aside, you may _think_ you've thrown everything at her, but you haven't."

"I haven't?" he arched an eyebrow.

"You need to set a trap!" she exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "You're clever so I know you can come up with one." She could tell he was about to protest again, so she interjected once more. "Set her up by challenging her, and when the time is right, trap her using the _Orbis Carcer_."

Jack's eyes widened in realization and he couldn't help but smack his forehead, "Why on earth didn't I think of that!?"

"I'm honestly surprised that you didn't." Amelia stated, "What's with you anyway? You seem to be kind of…_off_."

"Well…that's because…" he hesitated, looking down at the floor. "I've just been so worried about you, not knowing if you were alright. And now…the possibility of losing you…"

Amelia couldn't help but feel a little guilty since she had been the cause for all of his worry and loss of focus. But she was determined to knock him out of his slump.

"Well, you need to stop worrying so much about me." she stated.

"Wha!? But how can I!?" he exclaimed, "How will I know that you're going to be safe!? You've been captured and trapped in the Mirror Dimension by that no-account witch! You're slowly disappearing and being sealed away and there's no way I can stop it and once your form becomes solid there's no hope of bringing you back and—"

"Jack!" she cut him off, "You're rambling. You need to stop worrying if you want to have a chance of taking her down!" she sighed, "Look, I'm safe, for now, and you can clearly see that…err well see _through_ I suppose. But that's beside the point. What you need to do is focus on setting a trap and taking Black Widow down, alright?"

"Alright," he gave a reluctant nod in response.

"Good." she smiled and suddenly her image began to fade into darkness.

"Huh? Amelia!" Jack shouted and reached out to her disappearing figure, but by the time his hand touched the glass she had vanished. He clutched his hands into fists and struggled to suppress the urge to punch the mirror and curse Black Widow.

The Pumpkin King returned to his room and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Could it really be that simple?" he asked aloud, "The reason I haven't been fighting my best is because Amelia was all I could think about?"

He recalled every battle he had with Black Widow and remembered how he was so determined to save Amelia. He had no tactics, only one plan that was horribly flawed, just action. It wasn't like him at all to just dive in head first, not that he was given much of a choice anyway. He knew what had caused him to act in such a way, but he felt as though there was a deeper meaning. When he figured out that Black Widow was to blame for Amelia's disappearance, he had never felt such anger. It was just as he never felt such grief when he learned of his heir's looming fate. He cared so much for the Armonia, more than he cared for his very undead life. He could think of nothing else but bringing her back and unleashing his anger on both Oogie and his new accomplice.

"I guess Amelia was right," he couldn't help but smile a little, "but what to do about this trap? How do I go about challenging Black Widow? It's not like I can just show up on Oogie's doorstep and demand a fight," he hesitated, "though it would work." He suddenly stood up.

"Wait a minute…" he paused and thought, "Actually, it just might work! Yes! And I can easily devise a way to fight Black Widow without jeopardizing the town like both times before."

However, his optimism came crashing back down and he put his hand on his forehead.

"But how do I get her to reverse the process that's sealing Amelia away? I don't even know where the other part of Amelia is. Maybe I overlooked a spell that would actually undo the process? I just don't know." He sighed.

"Well, one thing is for certain, I still need to know more about my enemy," he looked out the window to the black night sky with only the stars to light up the darkness, "and there's only one sure way to find out what I need."

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**Well, I dropped a hint hint in this chapter, think you can spot it? ;) Anyway, I hope you liked it and sooooo sorry for the long wait! I do have half of the next chapter already typed so it won't take nearly as long! Oh, and check out the TNAB website in an hour or two, I'll have the sneak peek up then ^_^**

**A big thanks to Crimson for being my beta for this chapter, thank you oh so much!!!**


	22. A Deadly Surprise

**Bet you didn't expect to see me again so soon now did ya? ;) Well this chapter was just so much fun and thrilling to write that I finished it quite early! Personally I think it came out awesome and be sure you're sitting down and have a pillow because this one is meant to be gripping! Enjoy!**

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It was dusk of the next day, but the setting sun was hidden behind a vast blanket of dark ominous clouds looming in the sky. The ground was wet and the trees were damp with icy cold drops of water dripping off the branches. The rain had passed, though it left a gloomy shadow over the land. Thunder rolled in the distance as the quieted storm continued to slowly disperse. An oddly deformed tree house had received the brunt of the storm as it was in the middle of a barren land. It was placed atop an old decrepit tree surrounded by a deep pit. Down within the soggy gloom, voices were heard inside the lair below.

"Why didn't our plan work? Oh, that's right, because we had to _retreat_!?" Oogie roared with anger. "We had the perfect chance! The town was ours for the taking and you decide to turn _back_!?"

"Don't put the blame on me, you oaf! You know very well that I didn't have a choice!" Black Widow countered.

The two had been arguing for the past hour over what went wrong during the last attack. Lock, Shock, and Barrel were watching from a distance, their heads moving back and forth as though they were watching a tennis match.

"But you told me that the one flaw shouldn't be in affect anymore!"

"It _still_ is! As soon as the sun sets on a moonless night, her powers are completely gone until sunrise of the next morning."

Oogie turned away from her and grumbled, "Had I known the brat was an Armonia, I never would've chosen to use her in the first place."

"I thought you knew." The sorceress scoffed.

"I've been locked up!" he yelled back, facing her, "I'm _banished_ from Halloween Town! How was I _supposed_ to know!?"

"Because those three vile little miscreants over there always do the dirty work for you," she thrust her hand in their direction and they immediately began to cower in fear, "and _they_ weren't banished!"

"It never even occurred to me that I should've even _bothered_ to find out what kind of wretched sorceress she was! My plan was fool-proof until you pointed out that one single flaw at the worst possible time!"

"Oh don't act like I put it there! I'm not in charge of which sorcerer gets what bloodline!"

"Ugh! Her troublesome powers shouldn't even be involved in this by now! Hasn't she been sealed away for good yet?"

"No, it takes time." she crossed her arms, glaring off to the side.

"But why!? It only took two _seconds_ for the brat to banish me and she was only _ten_!"

"This isn't a banishment spell!" she turned her blazing gaze toward him, "It's a soul sealing spell! And this one is a permanent one at that!" she suddenly flew up in the air to be eye-level with him, "If you want her to remain in the Mirror Dimension forever then you're just going to have to deal with the wait!"

He was slightly taken aback by her sudden ferocity, but then he returned her glare with one of his own.

"Well find some way to speed up the process! We have that twiggy Pumpkin King on the run and we don't want to give him the chance to retaliate!" wanting to have the final word, Oogie stormed out of the room, ignoring Black Widow's shouts for him to come back.

"Ugh! I wouldn't even _be_ your partner if I wasn't _forced_ to!" she roared, even though he was gone, "I could easily take out Jack myself _without_ your help!" she crossed her arms and huffed, turning away from where he had left.

Her eyes fell upon the trio nearby who were on tip-toe, carefully trying to leave quietly. She glared at them with malice as their gaze met hers. The dark sorceress raised her hand which immediately became engulfed in a large, bright flame. The three sped out of the room as fast as their legs could carry them. Black Widow huffed as she doused the flame and then she quickly descended back to the ground.

"I can't believe I'm still obliged to help that moron." she grumbled as she crossed her arms. But then, a wicked smirk played upon her lips, "No matter, I will be rid of that bug-filled buffoon soon enough and I will take Halloween Town myself." she chuckled darkly, "and then the rest of the Holidays will be easy prey."

She walked towards the back of the room and waved her hand in a wide arch. Suddenly the ground began to rumble and break apart until there was a large hole in front of her. A large, black, medieval-like throne adorned with spider-webs rose out of the gap. The ground closed up around it and the earth stopped shaking. She sat in the throne, her legs draped over one of the arms and her back was propped up against the other. The sorceress pulled off one of the cobwebs that was dangling near her face and began to play with it. Throwing it in the air, watching it slowly descend before catching it and throwing it again. Black Widow yawned with boredom and continued to lazily play with the web.

Unbeknownst to the dark sorceress, she was being watched.

Hiding behind a tall spike chamber coffin beneath a window, a tall skeleton man signaled to his ghostly companion to be silent by putting a bony finger to his mouth. He then gestured with his hand to follow. They both hid within the shadows as they sneakily moved closer to hide behind giant dice. Carefully, they peered around just enough to watch but not enough to be seen.

"How I grow bored of this dreary torture casino." Black Widow mumbled to herself. "I cannot wait for the time when I can be rid of that infernal sack of bugs for good!" a smirk played upon her lips, "But in the meantime…"

She let the spider-web float to the ground and waved her hand. A red orb appeared above her palm and it began to morph. A doll of some sort landed in her hand. From each of her fingertips sprouted wispy red tendrils that became attached to the doll. Black Widow dangled it off to her side, acting as a puppeteer as she played with the doll. Jack kept himself from gasping aloud as he saw the puppet was modeled after him.

"Oh Jack," she giggled menacingly, "How I long for the day I will see you again," she played with the doll some more, "so that I may crush you!" She suddenly clenched her hand and the puppet's head popped off.

The real Jack was wide-eyed and gulped nervously as he rubbed his neck. The sorceress waved her hand and the small head floated over to the figure, snapping back onto its neck. The red tendrils from her fingertips reattached themselves to the doll as she began to dangle it again.

"However, I must admit that you _are_ quite powerful." she said as she continued to amuse herself, "Maybe I could make you my own personal servant like I plan to do to that pathetic idiot Oogie." she chuckled, "And when I've had my fun, I could watch you die a slow, _painful_ death."

The puppet suddenly became engulfed in flame as Black Widow cackled, her voice echoing throughout the underground lair. It was a rare occasion when the Pumpkin King actually had a chill go down his spine, and at that particular moment he did.

"I am saddened though. The infamous Pumpkin King has yet to put up a good fight." she sighed and let the charred remains of the puppet haphazardly fall to the floor. She snickered, "And to think the fool thought me to be a Flamma! Oh how very _far_ from the truth."

'This may be it,' Jack thought to himself, 'This may be when Black Widow finally reveals her weakness!'

"If only he could see it, the solution has presented itself in front of him more than once." she laughed once more and got off her throne. The sorceress then kicked what was left of the doll to the side, unknowingly near where the unseen visitor was hiding, and walked out of the room.

After a few moments once he was satisfied she was gone, Jack heaved a deep sigh and plopped onto the ground.

"Back to square one." he whispered irritably to Zero.

All of a sudden, a scream rang through the air, echoing throughout the lair. But it wasn't just any scream, a distinctly familiar female's. Jack hastily got up, checked to make sure the coast was clear, and ran toward the origin of the sound. He used the shadows to hide himself and his ghostly companion as they sprinted through the underground lair. It wasn't long before they came upon an open doorway which led even further down into the earth. Carefully, Jack peered inside and saw a steep staircase downward into what would have been complete darkness save for the torches on the walls below.

"I need you to stay here." he whispered as he turned to Zero, "Keep watch and let me know if anyone follows."

The ghost canine nodded in understanding and watched as his master descended the steep stairwell into the strange room below. Once Jack was close to the bottom, the fiery light from the torches revealed the space to be a cold, damp dungeon. Water was leaking from the walls and ceiling, making various puddles on the hard stone floor. A wail of grief rang out followed by loud sobs. Jack hastily moved, peering into each cell until he came across the only one with an occupant. She secluded herself from the light as to not be seen, but he knew she had spotted him for there was a distinct audible gasp of surprise.

"Jack?" her voice was quiet, lined with sadness from her crying, "Jack!" she exclaimed with joy but then there was a sound of struggle.

The skeleton man noticed a nearby unlit torch so he quickly shot a flame at it, the sudden light illuminating the dark figure. There inside the cell, chained to a wall, was Amelia Brave.

"Amelia!" Jack was horrified yet at the same time relieved, but his face fell when he noticed she was even more transparent than when he saw her last. He felt the seconds slipping away as he was once again hit with the fact that time was running out. Quickly he put his hand over the giant cell door lock and muttered a spell.

"_Liberatio_."

A clang was heard. Jack quickly pushed the door open and ran to her side.

"Jack! You have no idea how happy I am to see you." Amelia nearly sobbed with a smile across her tear-stained face.

"You have no idea how happy I am that I found you!" he exclaimed as he undid the shackles around her wrists and ankles.

As soon as she was free from the chains, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace which he gladly returned. Jack wanted nothing more than to just hold her, keep her safe, and then somehow the curse sealing her away would miraculously be lifted. He felt her begin to cry into his shoulder and he instinctively tightened his arms around her transparent figure.

"I was so scared…" she muttered, "so scared you would never find me…"

"It's all right," he gently hushed her, "I _am_ here and we're going to get out of here together." Gingerly he moved away from her, but interlaced his hand with hers and led her out of the cell. Once they were out he turned toward her and his eyes elongated in shock.

"Amelia, what happened to you!?" he brought up her hand, "You're deathly pale and thin!" the bones and veins in her hand were clearly defined despite her transparency. He looked back up to her face which was in no better condition. She didn't meet his gaze as a sad expression fleeted over her extremely fragile face before a small smile graced her thin lips.

"It's nothing I want you to worry about. I'm fine now, thanks to you." she said softly.

"Wait a minute…" he paused, "I thought you didn't know where your other half was. Why didn't you tell me you were here?"

Amelia remained silent for a moment before looking back up to him. "I…only recently regained consciousness. I woke up in this dungeon and I just…" she choked on her words as another sob tried to escape, "That's why you heard me crying. I realized I truly was a captive." Her sadness then changed to relief, "But you found me, Jack. You found me!"

"Of course I did. Anyone who would_ dare_ kidnap you should expect me to come for you! But let's talk about this later. Right now I need to get you out of here." He said firmly and with her hand still clasped in his he started to lead her out of the dungeon.

"Wait." she resisted his pull.

He turned back toward her with a confused expression but then he noticed she was avoiding his gaze, nervously staring off to the side.

"Amelia? What's the matter?" he asked with worry lacing his voice.

"Jack I…" she gulped and looked back up to him. "I have to tell you something, just in case I don't make it out of here."

"That's crazy, of course you will. _We_ will make it together."

"No Jack, please, I just…I really need to say this." her faint ocean blue eyes begged him to listen.

He gave her a warm smile and nodded, "Alright."

"Jack…" she took a deep breath, "I…I love you."

His eyes were wide and his mouth dropped.

"I have for the longest time now. I've been trying to tell you but I just never had the nerve to."

She would have said more but she was surprised when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her.

"Amelia, you have no idea how long I have only dreamed you would say that to me."

He didn't care that she was practically invisible, he didn't care that being a prisoner had taken its toll on her, he didn't care that she was slowly being sealed into an alternate dimension, he didn't care. Instead, he closed his eyes as he leaned down and was about to capture her lips when Zero suddenly flew through them, the sensation causing him to step back from her.

"What the? Zero!" he shouted angrily at the ghostly canine but was perplexed when the dog growled, and it wasn't toward him. Jack turned around to see Amelia with her head down so a shadow was cast across her face and a dagger with an eerie green glow around the blade was in her hand. The skeleton man gasped in shock and stumbled backward.

"Th-that dagger, it's cursed…Y-you…you tried to _kill_ me!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

She lifted her head just enough so he could see her face contorted into a wicked smile and eyes filled with insanity.

"I can't believe you almost fell for that!" she laughed manically and he noticed a drastic change in her voice. Suddenly her whole body began to morph surrounded by a sinister red glow. Now standing before him, was a tall woman with tan skin, fiery red-brown hair, and deadly crimson colored eyes.

"The 'damsel in distress' is the oldest trick in the book!" Black Widow sneered, "And you, the _Master_ of Fright, fell right into my trap!"

She suddenly lunged to plunge the dagger into him but Jack just barely dodged each jab, his clothes tearing by the mere graze of the cursed blade. Finally he was able to jump back and wrap a shadow around her wrist before she was able to make another charge. With a flick of his hand the dagger flew out of her grasp and clattered to the ground far behind her. With her free hand, Black Widow quickly hurled a fireball at him breaking his concentration as he dodged and she was able to slip free from the shadow's grip. She then shot fire at the ground and it seemed to travel on top of the water, rapidly approaching him. Jack leaped into the air and levitated there as he drew up all of the moisture in the dungeon and blasted her with a wall of water. However, she brought up her hands and canceled out the attack with a shield of fire.

"_Voro_!" Black Widow shouted and suddenly the whole room became deformed, fusing together as though it was melting. Everything was being drawn into one point directly behind her like a vortex and more it swallowed the farther it moved forward. Even suspended in the air, Jack felt the strong pull toward the vanishing point so he hastily turned and dashed toward the exit. He knew he wouldn't be able to get the upper hand so retreat was his only option.

"You cannot escape Jack Skellington!" she yelled over the deep roar of the room being sucked away. She moved easily through the pull and outstretched her hand toward the fleeing skeleton. He suddenly felt his arms yanked to his side by some strange force that could only be her invisible thread. The vortex was dangerously close now and the only thing that was separating him from oblivion was Black Widow. He managed to turn toward her, glaring defiantly.

"Nothing you can do will ever scare me!" He lifted the shadows around him and brought them all down in a driving force on the space where the thread was. A loud snap was heard, his binds fell, and he hastily made a dash for the open doorway only a few feet from him now. He heard a faint barking and looked up to see Zero just make it through the doorway. The ghostly canine turned to see his master fighting the pull and he began barking worriedly, as if urging him to reach the exit.

Just a little further and he would have been able to grasp the edge of the doorway, but then Black Widow appeared in front of him, blocking his escape. Before he could react, she had pushed him back and he began to be sucked into the vortex. The dark sorceress smirked triumphantly as Jack was swallowed by the darkness, but then her face fell when she saw his hand reaching out surrounded by a green glow.

"_Evolo_!" he shouted and suddenly vanished.

"What!?" Black Widow sliced her hand through the air. The remainder of the melting room and the vortex suddenly faded into the dark lair. She was left standing in the middle of an empty room on the same level as the rest of the underground hideout, the dungeon having never existed.

"That is the last time you will ever escape alive!" she screamed with rage. The villainess punched the nearest wall which left a considerable dent with spidery cracks sprouting out of the center.

"That blasted evolo!" she crossed her arms and took a moment to cool down. A thought occurred to her which brought a wicked smile to her lips, "Well, that spell certainly will leave him drained for a while."

Black Widow's words were true for not too far away back in Halloween Town, Jack Skellington was home in his tower absolutely exhausted. He had teleported Zero and himself back just in time using the most powerful escape spell he knew. The drawback was that it took a lot of magical energy. The Pumpkin King didn't even make it to his bed. He just crashed into the nearest chair completely out of breath.

"This…isn't…good." he panted, "I'm…defenseless…They will…surely…attack…Halloween Town." he heard Zero whimper and Jack weakly turned his head toward him. "Alert…the Mayor…"

That was the last thing Jack muttered before he passed out and Zero hastily left with his orders.

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Dun dun DUUUUUN! So what did you all think!? I know a few of you are probably getting the torches and pitch-forks ready *flees to safehouse and delivers rest of comments via the internet* but please don't kill me! You'll never find out what happens next if you kill the author!!!

**Though I got this chapter done early, I did not get the sneak peek ready in time ^^; So check back on Sunday and it should be up. Thank you all so much! :D **


	23. The Challenge

**Ok you can call off the search parties, I'm alive. Barely, but I'm alive. Anyway, I had a bit of a rough winter break but a friend of mine snapped me out of my slump and I'm back! So I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**

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Black Widow walked out of the room that had posed as the dungeon and noticed something amiss. It was oddly quiet.

"Oogie!" She shouted angrily as she stormed through the lair looking for him. A muffled noise was heard behind the bandit slot machines. Cautiously, she peered around them and there was none other than the Boogie Man himself, wrapped in a cocoon of shadows.

"Oh for Halloween's sake!" the sorceress exclaimed with exasperation. She brought up her arms and crossed them in the shape of an _X_ before sweeping them in a downward motion through the air. The shadows hastily melted away in response.

"Black Widow!" Oogie suddenly yelled in a panic, "It was Jack! He's here and—!"

"I know," she bluntly interrupted him, "I fought him and he managed to escape."

"_What_!? But how!?"

"He used the evolo spell," she then snickered, "but he was the fool for using it, for now his energy has almost been drained completely."

"Really? That's perfect then! Let's use this opportunity for a hostile takeover!" Oogie proclaimed as he began to leave.

"No."

"_No_!?" he whipped around to face her

"To take over now would be too easy of a victory."

"But it's a victory nonetheless!"

"No, I want to see Halloween Town fall with Jack dying a painful death at my hands," her eyes glowed red as a menacing aura seemed to emit off of her, "and I won't kill him in such a weak, pathetic state. I will _destroy_ him when he's fully conscious and putting up a fight."

"You're _insane_! We have the _perfect_ opportunity and you're just letting it slip by _again_!?"

"I have my reasons!" she shouted, "And if you want to be King of Halloween then you're going to abide by _my_ plans!"

"Oh I think not! Itwas_ I _who released you! _You_ are indebted to _me_!"

"That's it!" Black Widow shouted as she stomped her foot, her entire body became engulfed in flame. "I am the most _powerful_ sorceress alive and I will _not_ be restrained by some pitiful sack of _bugs_!" She began to storm toward him and Oogie was nervously retreating.

"I am _sick_ of serving _you_ when I can easily take over all of the holidays myself! _You_ only resurrected me because _you_ couldn't fend for yourself! _You_ didn't have a _chance_ against Jack Skellington, especially with Amelia at his side!"

Oogie Boogie was now cowering in a corner with the fiery Black Widow levitating in the air to glare down at him.

"I very well could have broken out of my prison in a matter of time. I didn't need _your_ help at all! You only sped up the process, and even then, it took you _years_ to figure out how! Now, by evening tomorrow night, I will be completely free and there's nothing you, or even that _pathetic_ excuse for a king, can do to stop my own rampage!"

Black Widow faced her palm to the ceiling and a giant ball of flame began to grow above it.

"Alright, alright!" the Boogie Man held up his hands in surrender, "We'll do it your way!"

"And _why_ should I trust _you_!?"

"Because I have something we can use to capture Jack!"

Her flaring crimson eyes widened in surprise and she whipped her hand down, causing the flame to extinguish along with the rest of the fire surrounding her. Her angry expression had calmed slightly but it was clear she was very suspicious.

"Go on…"

--

It was daybreak over Halloween Town. Zero had notified the Mayor the night before and he immediately sounded the alarms at the news. All of the citizens had taken cover with several at the ready to jump up and defend their town as soon as they were called.

Within the highest tower, Jack Skellington still laid passed-out in his chair with the beams of the sun hitting his skeletal face. The warmth caused him to stir and after several minutes he finally awoke. Despite his long slumber, the king felt entirely exhausted, still in no condition to fight. He heard a soft whine and Jack wearily looked to the side to see his ever-loyal friend with concern and worry written over his ghostly face.

"You notified the mayor?" he asked and the ghostly canine nodded in response.

"Good boy." the skeleton man said with a tired smile. He glanced over to the window and let out a deep breath. Slowly, and unsteadily, he got up and tried to shake off the remainder of sleep.

"Maybe I ought to invent a new escape spell that doesn't zap a sorcerer's energy." he stated as he gradually moved toward the window and looked out over the town.

"I still don't know Black Widow's weakness," he mumbled, "but I guess I shouldn't worry about it now, it's too late. That inevitable battle is upon me and I feel like I'm barely able to conjure a spell." he rubbed his temples with his skeletal hand, "But I've got to be ready. I've _got_ to defeat Black Widow."

He walked away from the window and heard the grandfather clock chime the hour. Each gong was a reminder that time was running out for him to rescue the trapped Armonia.

"I'm sorry Amelia," he spoke, "I failed you yet again and I fear that I won't be able to save you with what little time I have left, if there is _any_ time left at all." He remained silent for a moment.

"I broke my promise. I told myself that I would make sure no harm would ever come to you, and then I foolishly let my guard down." his eyes were downcast, "Now I want nothing more than to just have you back." He closed his eyes as he tried to suppress the growing ache in his chest.

"Amelia…If you were here…If you were here I would tell you how I truly feel." he admitted, "And I would hope against hope that you felt the same way. Whenever you're gone I miss you terribly, and when you're beside me I am filled with such indescribable joy. But I know you're in danger and I _am_ determined to save you…but how can I when I foolishly gave up nearly all of my power to save myself?"

His troubled mind suddenly recalled the night he spoke to Amelia through the mirror and her words rang clear.

"_You need to stop worrying if you want to have a chance of taking her down!" _

Even though it was just a memory she was still right. He needed to snap out of his slump and focus on the matter at hand, which would be devising a way to spring a trap on Black Widow. His gloomy demeanor changed to determination despite fatigue still having its hold on him.

"Alright Amelia, I _will_ rescue you and now I know exactly how I'll defeat Black Widow."

Suddenly, the dreaded sound of sirens rang throughout the air.

"Oh no…"

Still with a loss of magical energy, Jack hastily dashed out of his house just in time to see Black Widow and the giant Oogie Boogie storm into town. The armed townspeople began to attack, taking the villains by surprise, but it didn't last long. Citizens were flung to the sides like insignificant bugs and their defense was easily broken. Just like the time before, Oogie began to crush buildings as Black Widow set others ablaze, all the while the two of them laughed manically. Several people tried to flee from their homes to escape the destruction but were met with strange-looking skeletons who then forced them back into town. The bug-filled menace cackled as he began forcing the captured citizens to bow down before him.

Jack recognized the scene as the horrible vision Black Widow gave him during their first battle. He watched helplessly from shock and inability to fight back, but witnessing the destruction of his precious holiday fueled him with hot anger. With renewed energy, the Pumpkin King sprinted into the heart of the terror, right up to the evil sorceress herself.

Black Widow ceased her barrage of fire from above and stared him down.

'It seems the fool of a king has regained his will to fight.' she thought, waiting for him to attempt a strike. When he made no motion to attack, she smirked triumphantly and descended to the ground until she was standing just a few feet away from him.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't ol' bone man himself." she jeered to which he gave no response, "What's the matter? Are you still so tired that you can do nothing but glare?"

Jack remained impassive and it began to aggravate her.

"Well come on you pathetic skeleton man! Are you gonna fight or what!?"

Seeing no change in his demeanor, Black Widow suddenly lunged at him with fire surrounding her fisted hands. Just as she was about to strike, he skillfully dodged and she was forced to come to an abrupt halt before she crashed into a tree that had been behind him. Quickly, she whipped back around to see Jack staring at her with the same expression, not moving at all. The sorceress growled in annoyance and came at him once again, this time lifting shadows around her which then shot at him with frightening speed. The Atrum merely melted into the ground using his own shadow before they could reach him.

"Come out you coward!" Black Widow shouted ferociously.

A red orb then surrounded her fisted hand and she brought it down hard against the earth. It cracked on impact and opened up into a giant gaping whole. Jack Skellington was nowhere to be found. The dark sorceress roared with growing anger as her eyes began to glow a fierce crimson red. She turned to see her target standing just a few feet from the farthest edge of the hole she had created.

"Why won't you fight _back_!?" Black Widow yelled and in the blink of an eye she was in front of him with her arms surrounded by black shadows. She began to punch violently at him but he swiftly dodged each blow, the same impassive expression still across his skeletal features. Finally, she faked him out and landed a punch to his face, sending him flying backwards. But then to her horror he faded away in a wisp of black smoke.

"I've been fighting an illusion this _whole time_!?"

Hastily she looked over to where Oogie should have been but found him gone. She quickly took to the air and flew over the town. It wasn't long before she saw him and her elusive opponent. Jack had somehow managed to shrink Oogie back to his normal size and had him tightly bound with several shadows.

"Jack Skellington!" Black Widow roared as she shot down to him, her whole body ablaze. However, he hastily jumped backwards and she crashed into the ground, causing yet another massive hole to form.

The dark sorceress slowly emerged from the crater unscathed and the fire that surrounded her body dispersed. Her blazing eyes were focused on the skeleton man before her but she stopped her approach as he spoke.

"Black Widow, I do not wish to fight you." Jack stated evenly.

"_What_!?" The two villains shouted in unison.

"I do not wish to fight you _here_, not with the town and its citizens at stake." he explained, "I know you will stop at nothing to see me dead for good, so I offer you this. Spare Halloween Town and I will agree to a duel with you at the place of your choosing."

Her eyes were wide with surprise but then a smirk played upon her lips.

"Alright bone man, what's the catch?"

"If I win, you free Amelia from her prison and leave, never to return."

"Fair is fair," she snickered, "I agree to your terms."

"What!?" Oogie shouted in protest, "What are you doing!? This isn't part of the plan!"

"Can it you worthless sack of bugs!" she yelled at him with anger returning to her voice, but she calmed and turned back to the Pumpkin King. "And as for our place of battle, I choose Oogie's lair."

Jack nodded in affirmation and then all three of them disappeared in a puff of smoke. The burning buildings and homes were suddenly extinguished and the skeletal minions vanished. The frightened citizens cautiously gathered together where their leader had just been. The Mayor stepped forward from the crowd.

"Jack," he said to the empty space, "I certainly hope you know what you are doing."

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Forgive me for the shortness because the next chapter is the climax! It might end up being a two-parter XD Not sure yet. Anyway, hope you all had a lovely winter break! Please review! =D

Oh and if you haven't read my Christmas oneshot _Elves, Mistletoe, and a Fishing Pole_ then you really should ;)


	24. The Fight

**Alrighty kids! Here's part 1 of the epic climax!!! And guess what? I'll actually have the sneak peek posted by the time you read this! =D It's a miracle!!! Why are you still reading this? Read the chapter already!**

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"I bet that Jack has been blown to smithereens!"

"Oh yeah? I bet he was burned alive!"

"I bet he was tortured and then killed!"

The trick-or-treating trio cackled with glee as they discussed different ways Jack had met his demise. But then suddenly a thick smokescreen filled the lair, causing the miscreants' laughter to turn into horrible coughing spasms. They waved their hands in front of their faces to clear the smoke and gasped in surprise at what they saw. Black Widow and Oogie Boogie had returned with Jack Skellington in tow.

"What!?"

"It's Jack!"

"What's _he_ doing here!?"

"Why, the Pumpkin King has challenged me and I decided to play the game on my turf." Black Widow chuckled darkly. "So," she raised her hand which abruptly became engulfed in flame, "you ready bone man?"

"More than," he responded as he readied himself for her first strike.

The dark sorceress smirked and disappeared into the shadows. Before he could react, she had reappeared behind him and delivered a swift kick to his back, causing him to topple onto the ground. He grunted in pain but he was back up on his feet in a split second, just in time to hastily dodge her fiery blast.

'Time to fight fire with fire,' he thought to himself and faded into the surrounding darkness.

"What's the matter scaredy skeleton?" Black Widow taunted, looking all around, "Too afraid to take me on that you've reverted to using cheap copycat tricks?"

She immediately regretted her words as a barrage of fireballs rained down upon her. The sorceress held up her arms to block the one directly above her, and then quickly slashed them through the air. The movement caused a powerful blast which canceled out the attack.

"I spoke too soon. You're not holding back." she then smirked, "Good."

Black Widow lifted her arms and the shadows in the room lifted as well in response. Jack was revealed to be levitating in the air and she quickly sent the immense dark mass above her shooting toward him.

Jack crossed his arms in defense and the shadows moved around him as though some invisible shield was protecting him. As the darkness cleared away and began to return to its original silhouette form, Black Widow took to the air and shot toward Jack, both of her arms blazing.

"DIE!"

She had taken him by surprise and managed to strike him. Jack yelled in pain and fell to the ground, his body smoking from his charred clothes. He struggled to get up as what little energy he had left began to drain.

"I was hoping to kill you in your most powerful state, not as a pathetic weakling!" Black Widow shouted as her entire body became engulfed in flame and she blasted him again, sending him flying backwards. He grunted as he hit the wall and slid back down to the floor.

"Get up and _fight_!"

The dark sorceress punched him across the face just as he was getting onto his feet again. She hated how quickly he had become battered and weak, it only fueled her anger. He staggered to stand once again and she summoned a giant ball of flame into her hands. She lifted it above her head as it grew.

"Kiss your undead life goodbye." she stated and hurled the fire at him.

Jack crossed his arms in front of his face in defense and he was suddenly surrounded by a green glow just before he was hit. Just like the shadows, the fire simply moved around him and quickly dispersed. Black Widow was in shock so he took advantage of the opportunity. The glow around him quickly disappeared but green orbs remained around his hands. He shot at her with a green blast and it sent her reeling backwards. Her feet skidded against the ground, slowing her down and she came to a stop. The dark sorceress looked up and had only enough time to gasp before Jack hurled a wall of water at her. She landed in a heap on the floor, her surrounding flames doused out which left her body smoking slightly and soaked. Black Widow coughed, spitting out the water in her lungs, and finally lifted her gaze toward her opponent.

For a fleeting moment Jack thought he saw a look of hurt, almost sadness, flicker across her expression and her eyes had changed somehow. But it was gone so quickly, replaced by her seething glare, that he was certain he imagined it.

Just as she was about to jump up and attack, Jack lifted the shadows around them and called out a spell.

"_Umbra Carcer_!"

The dark forms became tentacle-like and bound around her body with an unmerciful grip. They continued to swallow her until only her head was visible. More shadows morphed and enclosed around her, sealing her within a black, deformed, prison cell.

Black Widow tried to break free of the bindings but to her surprise she was completely immobile.

"Wait a minute…you shouldn't be able to cast the umbra carcer!" she exclaimed, "You shouldn't have any energy left now since you haven't recovered from the evolo spell!"

"Think again." Jack smirked as he clutched his hand into a fist, causing the shadows around her to tighten.

She grunted in pain but kept her fierce glare on him.

"You…planned this…didn't you?" she managed to speak, "You've…been absorbing…my energy…this whole time!"

"Correct, and I had no idea how much you used in a single fire blast. It surprises me that you were still able to put up such a fight after I took the energy."

"Yeah well…you obviously…still don't know…who…you're messing with!"

The sound of guns being fired rang throughout the lair, causing Jack to hastily jump out of the way. He dove behind a giant dice block and peered around to see Oogie cackling beside his slot machine gunmen and Black Widow breaking free from the shadowy trap since his concentration was broken.

"That's cheating!" The Atrum sorcerer shouted as he came out after the slot machines reeled back from running out of bullets. "This fight is just between me and Black Widow!"

"Pah, you expect _us_ to play by the rules?" Oogie sneered.

"It was our plan all along to get you back here." Black Widow smirked, "and just like the fool you are, you walked right into it. I didn't even have to lift a finger."

"W-what!?"

"Man you really are clueless." the dark sorceress retorted, "You better put up a good fight, Jack Skellington, because this one will be your last. And this time there is nothing to save you."

She raised her hand and the shadows responded. "_Umbra Carcer_!"

Jack quickly became entrapped in the very same spell he had used just moments before, but unlike last time, the caster's concentration won't likely be broken. The shadows bound tightly around his skeletal body however, he refused to show weakness. He kept his own heated glare toward the dark sorceress who merely smirked triumphantly.

"So much for being a master Atrum sorcerer." she jeered and then turned toward Oogie, "It looks like what you originally planned won't be necessary."

"Huh!?" he exclaimed but she turned to look back at her captive.

"I'm going to deviate and do things the way _I_ want."

Black Widow rose into the air and drew up the remaining shadows to her. She moved her hands in front of her as she gathered up the darkness into an orb.

'Wait a minute…that technique, I've seen it before!' Jack thought to himself as he watched. 'And I know exactly how to use it against her.'

The dark sorceress then touched her glowing fingertips to the sphere and yanked it apart. A mixed blast of fire and shadows shot toward Jack. It hit him with one loud explosion, lighting up the entire room and then filled it with black smoke. But Black Widow noticed something odd about it, it wasn't dispersing.

"You forget that I am the _King_ of Halloween." Jack's voice seemed to come from several different places as its source changed rapidly. "I always have a trick up my sleeve.

"Come out you coward!" Black Widow shouted as she landed on the ground. She desperately tried to locate him but the smoke was so thick that she could barely see her hands in front of her face.

"You were the one who challenged me so quit hiding!" she spat, "Or is it that you're starting to regret it?"

"Your taunts won't work on me, not anymore."

"Oh yeah, what about your precious Amelia Brave?"

"I am still going to save her."

"Hah! Well you better hurry up because once the sun sets she'll be sealed away into the Mirror Dimension _forever_!"

Black Widow began to shoot out fireballs in several different directions to try to locate him. But suddenly she stopped and clutched the spider necklace around her throat.

"What!? No!" she groaned in pain, "This shouldn't be happening. Why!? What's going on!?"

Though she couldn't see anything, Jack could because he had cast the spell. He was shocked when he saw the same "flicker" of her eyes like before, and now he noticed something else. Light was escaping through her fingers that clutched onto the spider. Then suddenly, she became still and didn't move for several moments, but she stood tall once again with the same smirk across her lips.

"It was merely a minor obstacle that was easily overcome. Now," she raised her fisted hand which then became engulfed in flame, "where are you hiding scaredy skeleton!?"

'Wait…it can't be…' Jack thought to himself as he observed Black Widow closer and past events replayed in his mind. 'Why she isn't a Flamma, why she backed down from the fight last time, her ability to control shadows, that technique, that weird flicker, the spider glowing, and calling me scaredy skeleton…it all makes sense now!'

"Come on you pathetic excuse of a king!" she shouted, "Why are you backing off!?"

"Because I don't want to fight you…Amelia."

Black Widow stopped with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. However, she closed her eyes and chuckled darkly.

"So, you finally figured it out."

"Yes, but what I don't understand now is _why_."

"You really are an idiot!" she yelled with pure hatred lacing her voice and hands clenched. "You _still_ don't get it do you? I _am_ Black Widow and I am a _part_ of Amelia, I always have been! When her magic was used to turn her into a dark sorceress, _I_ was born! _I_ was that darkness within her that was brought out and then suppressed for ten years!"

"So Oogie brought you back, but you couldn't stay stable with two souls in one body. So you chose to seal Amelia away!"

"Of course Sherlock, I wanted my own body and be rid of that Armonia for good! The only thing that I desired from her was her powers, which I now have and plan to use to destroy you!"

Black Widow blindly attacked everything around her, just waiting to hear the sound of her target yelping in pain.

"But why do _you_ hate me so much?" his question caused her to stop.

"Heh, my hatred was born from Amelia's feelings, or I guess I should say _my_ feelings since the secret's out." she snickered, "I knew the only reason you paid any attention to me was because I looked exactly like Elizabeth. I am nothing but a pleasant reminder to you of your past and your love for _her_."

"Amelia, how could you say that!?"

"Don't call me that name! The Amelia you knew is gone and now _I_ am here!" her expression and anger were bordering on insanity.

"I never compared you two, ever. I told you I let go of my past and moved on."

"Lies! When you look at me all you see is Elizabeth!" She hurled fire again into the smoke but like before she still didn't find her target. The sorceress suddenly buckled over in pain again, her eyes rapidly changing between crimson red and cyan blue. She clutched the spider necklace as the light began to shine brighter through her hand.

'The Gem of the Armonias!' Jack thought as he realized what the glow was. It was the same light that emitted from Amelia's pendant she always tried to hide. 'The real Amelia is trying to break through! That spider is what's keeping her locked away, so I need to remove it somehow.'

He decided to take advantage of her weakened state before it was gone again. Jack quickly called up the shadows to bind her wrists and ankles.

"Amelia, whenever I look at you I see my truest friend. And recently, I believe it's changed somehow…"

"What sort of gibberish are you talking?" she spat, struggling against the shadows, "You saw me as nothing more than a friend and now I am your enemy!"

"No you're not, you're Amelia Brave, my friend." He said and walked out of the smoke toward her.

She saw him and her eyes changed to a glowing fierce red, boiling with rage. "_Orbis de incendia_!"

Jack saw the cylinder of fire begin to grow around him and quickly shouted a counter spell, "_Cancellare_!" The flames were suddenly doused and then he hastily disappeared within the smoke once again before she made another strike.

'Even with her bound like that I still can't get close. There's got to be a way to remove that necklace! I've got to keep trying to contact the real Amelia."

"Listen to me, I care for you more than you could ever possibly imagine. When you had disappeared, I worried constantly and did everything I could to find you. And when I discovered that you had been taken, I had never felt such rage and anger, yet at the same time _fear_. I missed you more than ever before and I wanted nothing more than to just bring you back safe and unharmed. I was, and still am, more than willing to sacrifice my own life to save yours."

"You _don't_ care for me so quit acting like you _do_!" the sorceress yelled, her eye color once again switching back and forth between red and blue, the light behind the spider growing brighter.

"But I _do_ care, and…before you left…every time you were around me I felt such indescribable joy, and when you were gone, I felt completely empty. I…I just can't explain it."

"What on earth are you babbling about!?"

"Here, maybe this will help you understand."

Suddenly Jack reappeared in front of her, grabbed her arms to keep her from moving, and kissed her.

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***Plugs ears as screams are heard around the world* Ok, thank you for blowing out my eardrum. Anyway, haha two surprises! First, Amelia is Black Widow (which a lot of you predicted anyway) and second (the one no one saw coming...hopefully) JACK KISSES HER!!! **

**Please, especially for this chapter, review!!! And check out the sneak peek!!! =D**


	25. The Return of the Armonia

**Hahaha I bet you're all excited for the next part of the TNHD climax! ^_^ Well, get to reading already! But be sure to check out the author's note at the bottom of the page when you're done =D**

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Jack kissed her and her wide eyes switched to blue as the light from the pendant shone brighter. The smoke around them had begun to clear and four distinct gasps were heard. Jack grabbed the spider necklace and yanked it off as he released her. The Gem of the Armonias was revealed and its luminosity grew. Black Widow's skin became slightly paler and her hair lost its red hue. She finally transformed back into Amelia Brave and the shadows which bound her wrists and ankles set her free.

"Amelia?" Jack hesitantly spoke.

The dazed sorceress only blinked in response, and then her eyes closed as she fell forward, the skeleton man catching her with ease. As he wrapped his arms around her, he looked at the spider necklace in his palm and watched it as it morphed into the gold locket. His eyes widened even more in surprise when it turned coal black.

"WHAT!? NO!" Oogie roared with anger and quickly pulled on a nearby rope.

Suddenly a giant saw blade swung toward Jack and the unconscious Amelia. He hastily gathered the girl up in his arms and leaped out of the way just in time. Gently, he laid her down and turned on his heel to face his nemesis.

"Alright Oogie, it's just you and me now. I'm the one you're really after so leave Amelia out of this!" the Pumpkin King demanded.

"That seems like a fair fight, but you know I never like to play fair." the bug-filled creature cackled as he pulled on another chord. Jack suddenly found himself on a giant roulette with several King of Hearts cards surrounding him, flailing their swords.

"Well come on, _bone_ man!" the Boogie Man taunted.

As Jack dodged and maneuvered his way across the roulette, the Armonia sorceress began to stir.

"Nnn…" she groaned as she struggled to wake. Finally, she opened her cerulean colored eyes and fully regained consciousness.

"Wha?" Amelia sat up and rubbed her head. "What's going on?" she glanced down, "Why am I wearing these weird clothes?"

Suddenly a cackle rang through the air and she quickly whipped her head around to see Oogie laughing as the Pumpkin King narrowly dodged the swinging diamond-shaped axes.

"Jack!?" she exclaimed, but then she saw a light below her. Amelia looked down to see her pendant glowing brightly and growing brighter still. She turned her attention back toward her friend in serious trouble as the light enveloped her.

"Better watch where you step!" The Boogie Man laughed as he triggered a springboard beneath the skeleton man, sending him flying into the wall with a painful thud. He slid down into a glass box and the nearby Lock, Shock, and Barrel quickly closed and locked the lid.

"Black Widow was wrong for it looks like we're following my original plan after all." Oogie laughed manically as he watched Jack desperately try to break free.

The Atrum sorcerer clenched his hands which became surrounded with dark shadows. "_Laedo_!" he called as he started to punch at the glass. "_Laedo_!"

"You pathetic bonehead, it's charmed so you can't break free even _with_ magic!" the sack-like monster cackled. Suddenly a blue beam of light hit him, causing him to tumble backwards. "What the!?"

Everyone turned to look at where the light came from and they all gasped in shock. There stood Amelia Brave in her Armonia form with her hands surrounded by blue glowing orbs. The top of her dress was light blue with dark blue sleeves. The skirt was the same light blue with an open dark blue overskirt, a black belt with a round blue jewel in the center, and black and white checkered stockings with light blue boots. A silver circlet adorned her head and her body was surrounded with the same glowing blue as her eyes, the brightly shining Gem of the Armonias around her neck.

"Alright Oogie, enough is enough!" she yelled and took to the air.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me!" he hastily pushed a nearby button with a skull on it.

Suddenly razorblade gambling tokens shot out from every wall zooming toward the Armonia sorceress. She stopped her approach and levitated in the air as she was encompassed by a blue sphere. The spinning razors bounced off her shield and started flying everywhere until they crashed into the walls or collided with another obstacle.

"Fancy new trick, let's see you take on this!" Oogie pressed another button and the giant saw blade swung down at her.

Amelia quickly dove to the ground and the bug-filled menace activated the roulette she had landed on. The King of Hearts cards swung their swords and she narrowly dodged the blades. Finally she dropped down on her stomach and studied their movements before jumping back up. She gracefully moved around the swords, almost as if she was dancing, and quickly dashed between two of the cards when she got her chance. The sorceress was now just a few feet away from the Boogie Man.

"Ooh, clever! But not clever enough!" He hastily jumped to the side and pulled down on a lever.

Several square holes in the walls opened and out came hundreds of giant spiders, all moving toward Amelia. Her mouth was agape in shock and the glow around her body as well as her eyes suddenly vanished. The light from her pendant dimmed but it didn't completely fade out. In fear, she zoomed up to the ceiling but then felt something sticky catch her legs, making her body swing up and the substance caught her arms. Panicked, she warily turned her head to the side and realized she was caught in a giant spider web which covered the entire ceiling. She let out a blood-curdling scream as the spiders began to quickly crawl up the walls and onto the web. All the while Oogie laughed with evil glee at the frightened sorceress.

"Jack Skellington trapped and helpless, and Amelia Brave screaming for dear life." he snickered, "Dreams do come true!" he bellowed out another sinister cackle.

The trapped Atrum sorcerer had given up trying to break free and felt completely useless as he watched the spiders draw closer to the terrified Armonia.

"Amelia!" he shouted to get her attention, "I know you're scared, but you mustn't let your fear take control! Remember what I once told you? Turn your fears into something not scary at all!"

"Hahaha! How pathetic! The useless Pumpkin King trying to save his heir by giving her a pep talk!" Oogie almost rolled onto the ground from laughter. Even the trick-or-treating trio was cackling uncontrollably.

Jack's words had reached her and she tried to calm down, but the spiders were closing in on her.

'Come on Amelia, they're just bugs,' she thought to herself, 'creepy, crawly, scary bugs!' she clenched her eyes shut but something continued to ring in her ears.

"_Turn your fears into something not scary at all!"_

'Wait a minute…that's it!' The Armonia thought as the answer came to her. Soon her glow returned as she opened her eyes and the Gem began to shine once more. She fisted her hands and blue shockwave fanned out from her, going over the spiders. A smirk played upon her lips as she tore her body free from the web and turned to face the spiders. She shot blue bolts at them, causing them to fall to the ground with loud crashes.

"WHAT!?" Oogie roared in shock. Before he knew it the spider army was crumpled on the ground and an angry Armonia was flying at him. He frantically looked for another trap to activate.

Amelia saw the opportunity and turned sharply toward where Jack was imprisoned.

"Get back!" she shouted to which he quickly did so.

A bright blue orb surrounded her fist and she swiftly punched the glass box. It shattered around the area where her fist had landed and crumbled away, leaving a large gap. Jack hastily ran through it and then to Amelia's side. He smiled at her which she returned with one of her own. They both nodded with determination and turned to face the notorious fiend.

"How did you break the glass!? That spell was supposed to make it impervious to _everything_!" Oogie asked in shock.

"Yeah it was, from the _inside_." Amelia smiled triumphantly.

"Well Oogie, it seems you've run out of tricks." Jack said.

"That's what you think!" the bug-filled menace roared and pulled another lever.

The floor opened and suddenly a skeleton army marched up from below. Jack and Amelia exchanged knowing glances before they turned to face the army. The two sorcerers had glowing orbs surrounding their fists, the Atrum with green and the Armonia with blue. They fought their way through the skeletons, each falling easily with just a single blow. The Halloween royals stopped when they reached the center and lifted the shadows off the ground, surrounding the army. Jack and Amelia levitated above the minions and closed their trap. The giant sphere shrunk as they descended back to the ground until it was a small orb floating between them.

"_Evanui_." The two sorcerers said together and the sphere grew even smaller and smaller until it had disappeared completely.

"You've won this round witch brat and bone man!" Oogie shouted as he grabbed onto the machine with the eight-ball as its base and it began to lift him up to his escape.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Amelia shouted as she flew up to him and pulled a loose string that was on his arm.

"No!" he shouted but it was too late. She swung down and handed the thread to Jack who let it get tangled up in the spinning pieces of metal below the eight-ball, which then pulled off Oogie's burlap covering.

"Now look what you've done!" The bug monster cried as the insects which made up his body began to fall into the bubbling pit below.

"My bugs, my bugs, my bugs, my bugs, my bugs!" he shouted until there was nothing left of him other than a single green bug that was scurrying to get away. "My bugs! My bugs! My bugs!" it cried until Amelia walked over to it and squashed it with her boot.

"I believe _that_ is the last we'll ever hear from him." she stated as the glow around her died away and her eyes returned to normal.

"Yes I believe so," Jack chuckled as he placed his hand on her shoulder and almost immediately her pendant's brightness grew. The skeleton man arched a would-be eyebrow.

"Amelia why—"

"Why were you and Oogie fighting?" she hastily cut him off.

"What!?" Jack took a step back in shock, "Y-you mean you don't remember?"

"No," she shook her head, "the last thing I remember is talking to you through the mirror and I was being sealed away, you said?"

"Y-yes…"

"So that means you found a way to get me back!" she beamed brightly and suddenly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you so much Jack."

"O-of course Amelia." He said as he hesitantly returned the embrace. 'She doesn't remember anything about being Black Widow?' he thought to himself, 'Not even _how_ I brought her back?'

"So what happened?" the Armonia asked as she released him, her pendant returning to normal.

"Well…" he hesitated. Should he tell her the truth? "You…were Black Widow."

"_What_!?"

"Yes…you were, though obviously you weren't conscious of it." he explained, "As it turned out, Oogie somehow managed to bring out the darkness that was still inside you from when you were Black Widow ten years ago."

"Oh my gosh!" Amelia thought for a moment, "I knew that name sounded familiar! So I was the one who fought you and tried to…" a horrified look crossed her features.

"It's all right. I know you had no control." Jack said comfortingly, "Besides, in a way, Black Widow was her own person, like a sort of alter ego who possessed you. So, your actions weren't your own."

"Ok, that makes sense…sort of." she scratched her head, trying to absorb everything that she was being told, "Then how did you bring me back?"

"Oh…right," he gulped nervously and avoided eye-contact, "Well…actually, you brought yourself back."

"I did?"

"Yes, you finally broke through using the Gem of the Armonias, somehow. You were able to regain control of your body, but then you passed out."

"Oh."

"Don't worry I caught you." Jack chuckled.

"Well, thank you." she giggled.

"By the way, congratulations on facing your fears." he smiled, "How did you manage to do it?"

"Easy, I took your words literally and turned the spiders into robot toys." she giggled, "Turn your fears into something not scary at all."

"I'm impressed, Amelia." he beamed proudly, "That was very clever of you."

Suddenly, the Gem of the Armonias began to glow again, the light enveloping the sorceress entirely before it quickly died back down. Amelia was back in her normal sorceress garb.

"Thank goodness! I never thought I would miss my costume so much!" she exclaimed, hugging herself.

"Huh, too bad," he chuckled, "I thought you looked rather attractive in Black Widow's outfit."

Amelia blushed bright red from both embarrassment and anger.

"Shut up!" she gave him a punch in the shoulder as Jack just laughed.

The Halloween Town royals returned home just as the sun set, much to the relief of the anxiously waiting citizens. They cheered and celebrated at the safe return of their king and princess and Jack announced that Black Widow and Oogie Boogie were gone for good. Amelia couldn't have been happier to be back, however, she felt guilty knowing that she was, yet again, part of the reason for all of the trouble. But then she would glance towards Jack and she knew that it didn't matter. All that did matter was that everything was once again as it should be. But little did the sorceress know that soon her life would take a drastic turn.

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Ha! This story is not yet over my dear readers! I still have a few things up my sleeves. Ok, I have the sneak peek posted so be sure to check that out along with the newest page on the TNAB website! World Domination!!! And be sure to go to the Contest Entries photo gallery to see Amelia's Armonia form. I decided to use elize_mail's amazing entry! =D

**Also, if you are confused about anything that has happened in these last two chapters, don't worry. I'm going to clear a few things up in the next chapter. Reviews make the world go round!**


	26. Back To Normal

**Here we are once again to read the adventures of Amelia Brave in The Nightmare of Her Dreams! Hopefully this chapter will answer your lingering questions, and if not, I'll be more than happy to answer myself! =D **

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Later that evening, the Pumpkin King sat contemplating in front of the fire in the tower.

"I just don't know what to do." he mumbled, "If Amelia really doesn't remember what happened then should I tell her? Or should I just pretend like it didn't happen? But it's not something I can just _forget_. However, if she _does_ remember, would she run away? Would she accept that it happened but won't return my feelings? Or would the impossible happen and she actually feels the same way?" he sighed and put his head in his hands. "I just don't know…"

He stared absentmindedly at the fireplace for a while until he heard soft footsteps coming up the spiral staircase. The skeleton man turned his head and saw Amelia who greeted him with a smile which he returned with one of his own. He gestured for her to sit next to him and she followed.

"Has any of your memory come back?" Jack asked but she shook her head in response.

"No, nothing."

"Oh, I see…" he looked away. A painful chord in his heart was struck.

"Well, despite being a villain, Black Widow's powers were all yours," he said suddenly to break the awkward tension, "and I must say, you gave me one heck of a run for my money."

"Did I now?" she inquired with a smile.

"Yes, and I think it's pretty safe to assume that you've become a master sorceress."

"Really!? You think so?" she asked brightly.

"Quite. I had to always be on guard or else you would've seriously injured me." he grinned, "Who knew you could be so ruthless?"

"There's a lot you don't know about me." she replied slyly.

"Oh really now?"

"But don't expect me to just tell you," she gently poked his would-be nose, "you have to figure it out on your own."

"Hmm…Well, Miss Amelia Brave, there is much you don't know about myself as well."

"Of which I do not bother wanting to know." she turned away, pretending to be bored. She fought back a smile when she noticed his crestfallen expression out of the corner of her eye.

"Touché." he said as he crossed his arms and she laughed. He felt his undead heart warm at the sound. They remained silent, watching the fire before Jack pulled something out from the inside of his jacket.

"By the way," he held out the object in the palm of his hand, "this is yours, I believe."

"Eh? What is it?" she raised an eyebrow as she peered at the black, heart-shaped object.

"It is what's left of your gold locket." he stated, "It gave Black Widow the ability to possess you, I think. And as to why it's charred…well, I'm not really sure. I guess whatever magic was stored inside it died, for want of a better word, when you regained control and it inadvertently changed its appearance."

"Makes about as much sense as anything else in this crazy world." Amelia rolled her eyes and shook her head while Jack just laughed. Gingerly, she took the locket and examined it.

"Well," she sighed, "I suppose there's no use for this old thing anyway. It's nothing but a bad memory now." Her hand became surrounded by a blue orb and the remains of the locket quickly vanished.

They turned their gazes back to the fireplace and, after a minute or so, Amelia laid her head on Jack's shoulder. At first he was a little surprised but a soft smile crossed his features and he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. The young woman felt her heart skip a beat and instinctively she grasped her pendant before it began to glow. They continued to watch the dancing flames in the fireplace in a comfortable silence.

"Hey Jack?" the young sorceress spoke softly.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for saving me…again."

He chuckled, "Of course Ami, I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't." he said and she giggled in response.

Jack looked away nervously, swallowing the lump in his throat. He removed his arm from around her, causing the sorceress to look up at him.

"Amelia, I…" his voice went out when her cyan blue orbs locked onto his hollow eyes. "I am so glad you're back." he finally said.

"It's good to be back." she beamed. He was taken by surprise when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Amelia…" he returned the gesture, "You should know me better than that by now. I would never give up on you."

"I know. That's why I'm thanking you for it."

He laughed and they released each other, but then he felt an odd feeling wash over him and he gently held the side of her face in his skeletal hand. She blushed lightly and gave him a curious look, oblivious to the fact that her pendant was once again emitting its soft glow.

"There is something I…" he began but then stopped.

'I can't tell her what really happened,' he thought to himself, 'she wouldn't accept it, nor even return my feelings. She would flee back to her world, and after today, I can't stand to see her leave again.'

"What is it Jack?" she asked, breaking his train of thought.

"Oh, um…" he removed his hand from her and looked away, "never mind."

"Oh…alright." her heart fell at the absence of his touch and the Gem of the Armonias returned to normal. The nearby grandfather clock chimed the hour and she decided to use it as her excuse to leave.

"Well I guess it's time for me to turn in, it's been a long day." she laughed softly and he did as well.

"That it has," he smiled at her, "goodnight Amelia."

"Goodnight Jack." With that as her final farewell she got up and exited the room.

The skeleton man returned his gaze to the fire and sighed dejectedly.

"I kissed her, and she doesn't even know." his eyes became downcast.

Jack sighed again as he thought back to that moment. He savored the memory for he saw it as the only time he would ever have the nerve to show her his true feelings, and she didn't even remember.

"Maybe…it's best that she doesn't know."

--

Amelia lied down in her bed and was soon fast asleep, exhaustion having taken its toll on her. She slept peacefully for a while until her dreams decided to answer her lingering questions.

_She saw herself picking up the locket and it jumped out at her, somehow knocking her out. Her unconscious self laid there on the ground and three small children came out of the woods, cackling gleefully. A white bathtub with lion's feet walked up beside them and the trio loaded her into it. Lock, Shock, and Barrel jumped in and they hastily took off down the trail into the woods, their hysterical laughter ringing through the air. _

_Her dreams shifted to a different scene. _

_The trio was in Oogie Boogie's lair, carrying the still unconscious sorceress as they approached their boss who had a triumphant sneer plastered across his gruesome face. _

_"Perfect! Our plan is working like a charm!" he cackled and his henchmen joined in, dropping Amelia haphazardly onto the ground. _

_"What's next boss?" Barrel asked giddily. _

_"We enlist the help of our new comrade." the monster grinned._

_"But Amelia won't side with us!" Lock pointed out but then was conked in the head. _

_"That's what the spell was for stupid!" Shock shouted, "That's why we stole her locket and the witches' spell book!" _

_"Yes, and because none of us have any magic, it's taken nearly three years to prepare. But it was finally ready and I could use charm the locket. Getting Amelia to take the bait was easier than I thought." He laughed. "Now, from what you three have discovered from your spying, Amelia has affections for that twiggy Pumpkin King, right?" _

_"That's right!" the trio chorused. _

_"Good, now those feelings are being turned into hate by the spell, and as soon as that process is over," he looked down at the unconscious sorceress, "there is only one thing left to do." _

_Suddenly, the gold locket around her neck transformed into a spider. _

_"Now, arise from your slumber, Black Widow!" _

_The sorceress opened her eyes, glowing fierce crimson red. Her once peaceful expression was twisted into something wicked, seething with anger. She was enveloped in a bright red light and she rose into the air. The light continued to grow brighter and brighter until it burst, quickly dying away. Levitating in the air before them was a tall, tan, and powerful sorceress dressed in black and red Egyptian style clothing with red hourglasses tattooed on her forehead and stomach as well as black slashes on her sides. She turned her fierce gaze toward the bug-filled menace. _

_"You have released me from my prison, Oogie. Why?" her eyes narrowed in suspicion. _

_"To offer you a deal." he replied with a smirk, "In return for your reviving, you must assist me in my taking over Halloween Town! And, I will allow you the privilege to kill Jack Skellington!" _

_"Well, when you put it that way," a wicked smile crossed her beautiful yet sinister features, "I'll do it." _

Amelia's dreams retold the story about everything that had happened right up to the point on how she was able to regain control of her own body. She shot up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, her blue eyes wide in shock.

"Jack…_kissed_ me!?"

The Armonian sorceress was in total disbelief, but then she laughed.

"What am I doing?" she giggled, "Thinking that dream was real." She rolled her eyes at herself with a smile on her face and lied back down to go to sleep.

--

The next morning, Amelia got dressed and headed up to the tower to find Jack lounging comfortably in a chair next to his library reading his favorite Edgar Allen Poe book. He looked up and beamed when he saw the sorceress walk in.

"Amelia," he said brightly as he set the book down and got up, "how are you feeling."

"Fine, certainly a lot better than when I was transparent." she commented and he laughed a little.

"I'm glad to hear."

She was taken aback when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy you're back." he said, "When you were gone I…I didn't know what to do. I missed you terribly, worried constantly, I was _scared_ even."

"Jack…" she was almost at a loss for words as she returned the embrace, "I was scared too, but I never lost hope. I never doubted that you would be able to save me," she laughed, "you've done so before."

"Yes that's true," he smiled as he pulled away from her just enough so he could meet her gaze. "Amelia…"

Whenever he looked into her ocean-colored eyes his undead heart would soar. He wanted nothing more than to just tell her everything, how he really brought her back, his feelings for her, everything. But then the thought of her leaving would hit him and he would come crashing back to reality.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again." he finally said jokingly.

She laughed and hugged him again, resting her head on his chest. "Don't worry, I promise not to fall for anymore traps."

"You better not or else I'll have to call you a damsel in distress."

"So much for having a knight in shining armor."

"No, you have a king to rescue you instead."

"A really arrogant one at that."

"Your words hurt, Ami."

"Your pride can afford to be wounded."

He laughed and released her, "Glad to see things are pretty much back to normal."

"As normal as normal can be in Halloween Town that is."

"Point taken."

Jack returned to his chair, reopening his complete works of Edgar Allen Poe as Amelia turned toward the bookshelf and climbed up the ladder. She hummed quietly to herself as she browsed through the books, occasionally pushing the ladder further down the bookcase when she didn't find anything she wanted to read.

"Ah!" she said as a book caught her eye. The sorceress tried to reach for it but found that her arm wasn't long enough. She lifted her foot to move one step up the ladder but then suddenly lost her balance.

"Woah!" she cried as she suddenly found herself falling backwards. Before she could call out a spell, Jack had levitated in the air and caught her with ease.

"Three times I've saved your life, is it?" he asked with a smile as he landed with soft tap on the ground, the sorceress still in his arms. She glared and was about to speak but he beat her to it. "No wait, four actually because I caught you when you fell off the bookcase before, didn't I?"

"Jack Skellington…" she growled.

"You're just way too accident prone." he gave a cheeky grin.

Suddenly the sorceress vanished and a slender black shadow had wrapped around Jack's head, covering his mouth. He tried to get it off by using his own magic but found that he was unable to. Stunned, he turned and saw Amelia sitting in his chair with his book open and in her hands. She had her head propped up on her palm with her elbow against the arm of the chair, a slightly irritated expression across her gentle features.

"You know it's really rude to talk when someone is reading."

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Lol! It seems that things are finally back to normal in Halloween Town. But wait, this story is far from over!? What on earth is this crazy insane authoress up to!? Please review! =D


	27. Returning to Samhain

**And welcome back to another episode of The Nightmare of Her Dreams! Well I don't have much to say right now so get to reading lol!**

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Over the next few days everything had returned to normal in Halloween Town as well as things between Jack and Amelia. They often had their teasing spats, were rarely seen apart, and like always, Amelia would shield her pendant whenever it began to glow and Jack still had no idea what it meant.

Finally, it was almost a month since the Armonia had first fled back to Halloween Town. Amelia was in her room, her hand surrounded by a glowing orb as she concentrated on certain objects which then became encompassed by a blue sphere. The sorceress had her music box within an orb when Jack curiously walked into her room.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he watched the black music box vanish.

"Transporting my things back home." she said as she surrounded her childhood teddy bear with the blue light and it too disappeared.

"Wait, do you mean…"

"Yeah," she sighed sadly and turned toward him, "I'm going home."

"Oh, I see…" his eyes were downcast as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. But then he looked back up at her with his signature grin. "Well I certainly understand. Besides, you probably need a break from _this_ world now."

She laughed, "No, I could never get tired of Halloween Town," she then rolled her eyes and smiled, "even if I do turn into some crazy evil sorceress bent on destroying you."

"Well in that case, maybe you should leave for my sake. I'm not sure if I could take you on again." he chuckled and she gave him a playful punch in the shoulder.

"So I guess that means you're too afraid to come back with me then?" she asked with a grin, crossing her arms.

"Wait, what?" he was clearly caught by surprise.

"Well, human Jack can't just disappear off the face of the earth you know."

He laughed and sheepishly scratched his head, "I guess you're right."

"And don't you forget it." she winked as she poked his would-be nose. She smiled with satisfaction at the slightly confused look on his face and then brushed past him as she exited her room. Jack watched her leave as he felt his undead heart begin to race. He then smiled and quickly followed suit.

The two Halloween Town royals walked through the forest until they came upon a familiar circle of trees, each with a picture of a holiday on them. The Armonia approached the tree with the wickedly grinning jack-o-lantern and then turned back to look at the Atrum standing a few feet behind her.

"You ready?"

"Not yet," he said and then snapped his fingers. Skeleton Jack was now replaced with his human self in his casual attire, "Now I am." He flashed his signature grin.

She laughed and then snapped her fingers as well. Her sorceress garb was replaced with her normal clothes. Amelia then turned back toward the jack-o-lantern and turned its nose which acted as a doorknob. The door opened and a low howling sound from deep within the tree grew louder and louder until a black wind carrying colorful autumn leaves burst through. The gust wrapped around the two disguised sorcerers and pulled them in, the door slammed shut behind them.

On the other side, Amelia and Jack slowly descended to the ground, the dead leaves crunching softly beneath their feet. It was dark in Samhain for it was the same time when they had left the human world, which now felt like an eternity ago. Immediately the young woman felt the bitter cold envelop her and she missed the warmth her sorceress costume gave her. Hugging her arms as she shivered, the Armonia was about to use a spell to make a coat appear when she felt something around her shoulders. Amelia looked over to see Jack next to her, placing his warm black jacket around her, and the heat from her face warmed the rest of her body.

"Forgot what the weather was like?" he chuckled.

"Y-yeah," her gaze was fixated on her feet as she clutched onto his jacket, "thank you."

"Of course." Jack could see she was about to protest since he didn't have anything to keep himself warm, so he quickly interjected, "Ah, now I don't want you worrying about me. Trust me, I'm used to the midnight autumn chill." he winked at her and placed an arm around her shoulders, unknowingly causing her blush to intensify.

"A-alright i-if you say so."

Jack and Amelia walked through the woods and they soon came up to the tree line where the forest ended and Samhain began. The disguised sorcerer's home was in sight and the young woman had expected him to go on into his house, but he kept walking and soon they were on a very familiar route. Given the hour, they could have easily teleported to Amelia's apartment complex and not have to worry about being seen, but neither wanted to leave each other's presence that soon. They continued on together in a comfortable silence until their destination was finally in sight and they both felt their hearts ache a little.

Once they reached the door, the two finally released each other. Amelia returned his jacket and, once he had slipped it back on, she quickly pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Thank you so much for everything, Jack." she said quietly, enjoying the feeling of his arms wrapping around her. He was speechless from being taken off-guard, but smiled as he held her close to him. After a moment, she leaned up and gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek before removing herself from him.

"Goodnight Jack." she said with a smile.

"G-goodnight…Amelia." he spoke, a little stunned.

She giggled, the sound was music to his ears, and then she turned and went inside, shutting the door quietly behind her. Jack reached up and gently touched his fingers over the place where her soft lips had tenderly brushed against his cheek. He felt that his face was warmer than normal and his heart was beating just a little faster than what he was used to. But soon he knocked himself out of his daze and turned around to walk back toward his human world home, a small smile across his lips.

Inside the building, Amelia opened the door to her dark apartment. She heard something shift and she hastily flicked on the light.

"AH!"

Claire and Amelia shouted at the same time when they saw each other. The startled sorceress glanced at her friend's hands which were tightly clutched around a baseball bat.

"For heaven's sake Amelia, what the heck are you doing this early in the morning!?" the tall young woman shouted, putting her hand over her heart which was pounding rapidly from fright.

"I…I was running away from my problems," she admitted, her roommate merely giving her a confused look in response, "but I realized that they would only follow close behind. So I decided to face them head on."

Claire placed her hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow. She then rolled her eyes and waved her hand.

"I'm too tired to try and understand your words-of-wisdom talk, I'm going back to bed." the young woman grumbled, dragging herself back into her room.

"Alright, night Claire." Amelia said cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah…" the dark brunette yawned and shut her door. The girl with the double-life giggled softly and went inside her own room to have a good night's rest.

The next morning, the sorceress seriously regretted fleeing to Halloween Town on a school night. She felt as though she had barely slept at all when her annoying alarm clock woke her up only a few hours after she had gotten home. But soon enough she managed to drag herself out of her apartment to walk to school with Claire, the roommate in no better condition.

"So how are you doing?" Claire asked with sympathy in her voice.

"Tired…" Amelia responded, receiving a questioning look from her friend. It finally dawned on her that, in the human world, only a day had past and yesterday was the 'Eric' incident.

"Oh, you mean that…" she looked away, trying to keep the memory from resurfacing entirely. "Well, I'm fine."

"What do you mean _fine_? You can't be fine after what happened! You even woke up screaming last night!"

"Right," Amelia started to get a little nervous but then a thought occurred to her, "remember what I told you last night? About running away from my problems?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, I _was_ running away, but then Jack stopped me. He helped me to calm down and to realize that fleeing wouldn't do me any good. I needed to face my troubles head on."

"Yeah…Well, I don't know about that, but if you-know-who ever shows his face around Samhain again, he'd better run because I'll be looking to beat the crap out of him." Claire said determinedly, punching a fist into her palm.

"Aw, you're awesome." Amelia gave her friend a hug.

"Thanks," the tall young woman grinned, "and like I said yesterday, Jack is here as well to make sure you don't get hurt."

"Yeah, I can't imagine what my life would be like without you two."

"Very boring."

The light brunette laughed, "Right."

"Yup, you wouldn't have Jack around to drool over, or me to make fun of you for it."

"Claire!"

"Come on admit it, you would miss my teasing."

"I'm not so sure."

"Well, no matter what you think, I know you would feel nothing but emptiness if Jack wasn't around."

Amelia's already light blush darkened at her friends words, not because she denied it, but because she knew it was true.

"Y-yeah…" she mumbled sadly and Claire rolled her eyes.

"Girl, if you don't ask the guy out soon, I will do it for you!"

"_What_!?"

"It's so obvious you're head over heels for him that it's sad!"

"How many times must I say this, we'll never be anything more than just friends!"

"That's only because you're too stubborn to confess to him."

"Th-that's not the point!"

"Well, at least you're not denying your feelings anymore." Claire glanced down at her flustered friend and raised an eyebrow, "Did something happen between you two?"

"W-what? N-no, nothing happened."

"Liar, you kissed him last night didn't you?"

"EH!? NO!"

"Hmm…" the tall young woman's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I know something's going on, I don't know what, but you are going to tell him how you really feel by Christmas."

"W-what on earth makes you say that!?"

"So you can kiss him under the mistletoe."

Amelia was at a loss for words from embarrassment, so only sounds of protest managed to escape her. Claire just snickered and rolled her eyes.

"Well, until next time Juliet." the dark brunette winked and gave a half-wave before walking off to the side of the campus her classes were on.

The flustered young woman didn't even realize they were at the community college until her friend had started to walk away. She shook her head and then hastily dashed off to her first class as well.

The day was long and boring for the new master sorceress. Her classes seemed to blur together as though she was running on auto-pilot. She barely even registered that it was after school and she was in a practice room with her hands following their usual routine across the keys of a piano. Amelia knew why she was in such gloom. She was homesick for her Halloween Town. The sorceress wanted nothing more than to just leave her hum-drum human life and live forever in the world of horrors, nightmares, and magic. But the thought of abandoning her family, her friends, and her musician's dream held her back. The young woman couldn't imagine giving up everything she had worked so hard for to live in a fantasy world for her own selfish reasons.

Amelia shook her head and tried to abandon such thoughts as she focused strictly on the notes she played.

About an hour later, the troubled young woman grabbed her ridiculously heavy bag, swung it onto her shoulder, and left the music hall. As she slowly walked down the sidewalk to the student parking lot, her thoughts shifted to something, or _someone_, she really didn't want to think about. Jack. Her heart immediately swelled as the image of his grinning skeletal face appeared in her mind. She felt her cheeks become warmer as she imagined his eerie emerald green eyes and handsome human features.

Once again the idea of telling him how she really felt entered her mind and, like always, the path of her heart was still stuck at a fork in the road. If she told him, she risked rejection and yet another wound on her already fragile heart. On the other hand, if she didn't then there's the possibility that he felt the same way and they would never know what they could have been because of her cowardice.

'I just wish I knew what he thought of me!' she screamed in her head as she groaned in annoyance. 'Am I nothing more than a friend? Is there a chance for us to be something more?' She sighed and finally managed to shove the problem to the back of her mind as she approached her small silver car.

Once again returning to auto-pilot, she unlocked her car and casually got in. As she put her key into the ignition, a voice spoke in her ear.

"Boo."

"Jack!" Amelia yelped in surprise, her reaction making the skeleton-in-disguise laugh hysterically. "You sneaky little jerk!"

"I believe the correct term would be the Master of Fright."

"Well at least I don't get startled when a fifteen year-old girl sneaks up on me."

"You're never going to let that go are you?"

"Nope."

"Pumpkin Princess."

"Scaredy Skeleton."

"Vampire lover."

"Mr. I-don't-know-what-a-seatbelt-is."

"Hey! Cars weren't around when I was alive!"

"But you've always been _so fascinated_ with the human world that I thought you would've figured it out."

"I had never returned to the human world, give me a break."

"Mmm…Nope."

"Are you always going to be this difficult?"

"Yep."

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Hee hee I've missed my Jamelia spats. Well, you've read so now it's time to review! And then check out the sneak peek! =D Thanks so much my wonderful readers!!!


	28. Read You Like A Book

**W00t it's finally up! =D And just fyi, I don't have the sneak peek up JUST YET. I'll post it right after I post this lol! And REMEMBER THIS! The next chapter is THE MOST important chapter!!**

**Ok go read.**

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Several weeks pass and now Samhain was chilled by the mid-December winds. All the people bundled up when they stepped outside and the cold air still bit them, so nearly everyone flooded into the local cafés.

Amelia, wrapped up in warm winter clothes, strolled to La Petite Café and was surprised to see how many people were crammed into the tiny shop. Finding no open seats, she settled with standing against the wall as far away from the door, and the cold, as possible. Claire hastily brought out orders to the freezing customers at such an astonishing speed it was no wonder she had been on the Samhain High track team. The swift waitress noticed her friend and mouthed "one minute" to her before rushing up to a few customers with their coffee orders.

"I don't care what the manager says, I am taking a _break_!" the exhausted young woman said as she walked up to her friend.

"By the looks of things, I don't blame you." Amelia smiled in sympathy.

"Has it ever gotten this busy for you at the Moonlight?"

"Yeah, every night of a big football game."

"Right," Claire heaved a deep sigh, "well, let me go clear us a table, I just saw a couple leave a moment ago."

The waitress hurried over to the mentioned free spot before someone else grabbed it and cleaned off the table and the two seats. The two friends sat down and, after taking another moment to breathe, Claire spoke up again.

"So how's life?"

"It's been going good." Amelia shrugged.

"Has Jack asked you out yet?" this earned the dark haired girl a death glare from the young woman with the troubled love-life.

"No and he's not going to because we're just friends." she replied dryly.

"I think the lady doth protests too much, or however that quote goes."

Amelia shook her head, "I still don't see why you are so infatuated with hooking me up with Jack."

"Because, you two are perfect for each other!"

"What makes you say that?"

"He's in denial, you're in denial. He stares at you all the time, you stare at him all the time. He—"

"Ok I get it." the light brunette grumbled.

"It's also obvious that he likes you as much as you like him."

"W-what?" Amelia's infamous blush once again splashed across her cheeks.

"You guys spend every waking moment together and you flirt even worse than high schoolers!"

"We do _not_ flirt!"

"Then what do you call teasing each other constantly?"

"Uh…teasing?"

"A.K.A. Flirting."

"Can we move on to a different subject?"

"Sure, you know, it's actually really easy to make Jack blush," Claire smirked, "so long as I'm talking about you."

Amelia smacked her head into the palm of her hand. "That is _not_ what I meant."

"You said change the subject, so I did." the tall young woman grinned. "And it's true."

"_Right_." the light brunette said sarcastically.

"You're blushing."

"N-no I'm not!"

"You're also a horrible liar."

Amelia groaned in annoyance, glaring at her so-called friend.

"So _why_ exactly can't you two be together?" Claire decided to be serious for once.

"Well…he lives far away and I don't think a long-distance relationship would work out." The troubled young woman sorceress replied, not making eye-contact.

"He's been in Samhain for a month and a half and doesn't seem to worry at all about his job. I don't think visiting each other would be a problem."

"B-but I'm still going to college and I need to devote my time to studying."

"Yet you're spending all of your free-time with him now."

"Th-that's because we're on winter break!"

"Yet you two still hung out when we were in school."

"W-well there's a significant age difference between us that I know my parents wouldn't approve of."

"How old is he?"

"Um…" Amelia quickly had to guess how old Jack's human form looked, "twenty four."

"Psh, five years is nothing compared to most marriages nowadays."

"Eh!? W-who said anything about _marriage_!?"

Claire just laughed at her friend's obvious distress. "I was merely giving an example. _You_ were the one who jumped to conclusions."

Amelia turned beet red and remained quiet, much to her friend's amusement.

"Come on, what else you got that I can disprove?"

'He's actually a century and-a-half year-old skeleton who lives in a holiday world called Halloween Town.' the young woman with the double life thought to herself. "I…I don't think he feels the same way I do." she finally said.

"Now _that_ I seriously doubt," Claire said firmly, "The guy _does_ feel the same way, I can see it. You know I can read people like a book."

"I know…" the light brunette sighed dejectedly, "But…his heart was with another girl."

"_Was_?"

"Yeah…she died though, and he says that he's moved on, but I don't know…"

"Well, how long ago was this?"

"I…I'm not sure. He didn't go into details."

"I really don't see the need to worry. True he may still be heartbroken over her, but he certainly doesn't show it. I think he was being honest when he said that he's moved on." Claire noticed she still wasn't getting through to her friend so she brought out her last resort. "Not to mention the guy has tried to kiss you, am I wrong?"

Immediately Amelia's face flushed a bright shade of red and her jaw dropped in shock.

"That's a yes." the dark haired girl beamed.

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is."

"No!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

"For the last time no!"

"So he never tried to kiss you?"

"No! Or wait, I mean yes, he's never tried!"

"But you want him to?"

"Yes!" Amelia slapped her hand over her mouth while Claire burst out laughing.

"You fell right into that one!" the waitress held her stomach as she continued her hysterical giggles.

"Th-that's because you tricked me!" the flustered young woman shouted as her face became even redder than before.

"No, that's because it's the truth!"

"Ugh, will you just leave me alone about that!"

"Fine, fine." Claire snickered as her laughs finally seceded. "So…are you absolutely _certain_ you guys can't be together?" she asked after a moment, a bit of disappointment lacing her voice.

Amelia thought for a while before heaving a deep sigh, "No, there's just no way it would ever work."

"Too bad, you two look good together." The dark brunette shrugged and dropped the subject.

They began to talk about their upcoming Christmas vacations when one of the other waitresses quickly ran up to Claire, informing her that if she didn't get back to work the manager was going to fire her. The tall young woman grumbled, rolled her eyes, and got up as she bid her friend goodbye.

Amelia returned to her apartment, thankful that she didn't have to work, and watched a movie until her roommate came through the door about an hour later.

"Ugh, I hate the winter rush." Claire groaned as she took off her heavy coat and hung it up. "Does the Moonlight have any job openings?" she asked half-jokingly.

"Not unless you want to sing onstage." her roommate replied with a laugh.

"Ha, not gonna happen." The tall young woman retorted and plopped herself down onto the couch, stretching out her long legs.

"So what are you going to do over Christmas break?" Amelia asked from her spot in a comfy chair, picking up the conversation where they had left off.

"Oh the unfortunate usual, I'll go back home Christmas Eve night and spend the next few days with my family." the exhausted waitress replied.

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"Not when all you hear from your grandma and aunts are, 'Why don't you have a boyfriend yet!?' "

"Now where have I heard _that_ before?"

"Shut it. I may be tired but I could still kick your butt." Claire replied, making her roommate laugh.

"Yeah, yeah." she waved her off and grinned.

"So how about yourself?" the dark brunette inquired.

"I'll actually be going to a party on Christmas Eve."

"That's certainly a lot better than my plans."

"Eh, I guess so," Amelia shrugged, "I'm not really looking forward to it. Our old friend Cassandra invited me but I'll be surrounded by a whole bunch of people I don't know. I probably won't stay very long."

"Oh yeah, I got an invite as well, I just can't make it because my mother would have my head." Claire rolled her eyes.

"I got the ok from my parents because they had an _adult_ party they wanted to go to."

"Adult as in drinking?"

"Yup."

"Ah, well then I don't blame you. At least going to Cassandra's party will be better than spending Christmas Eve by yourself."

"I suppose, and the party does give me the chance to wear this dress I have. I never found the occasion to wear it yet." she then sighed, "But despite that, I don't have much to look forward too. I doubt I'll get to speak to her much, considering she'll probably surround herself with a whole bunch of college guys." she snickered.

"Yeah that's so true," Claire chuckled, "Cassandra can't keep herself away from boys for too long or else she'll have a panic attack."

"I know!" Amelia exclaimed and the two laughed, "Yeah, but she's a good friend."

"You're telling me, without her I never would've passed high school physics!" Claire exclaimed.

The friends continued to talk about their high school days, reliving the good and bad memories.

--

Several more days went by and Amelia and Jack were almost always together as normal though Claire didn't pester them as much as she used to, but that didn't exempt them from an occasional teasing spell.

When they were alone, Jack would often try to tell Amelia exactly how he brought her back, but then his words choked as he gazed into her wondrous ocean blue eyes and he abruptly changed the subject. Likewise, the troubled Armonia would seriously consider telling him how she really felt but then his gleaming emerald eyes would peer into her soul and she found herself at a loss for words. The two sorcerers had begun to give up hope on revealing their true feelings to each other.

All too soon, it was Christmas Eve.

Claire locked up the apartment, Amelia having already left for the Christmas party, and casually began to walk down the sidewalk to the parking lot where her car was when she suddenly heard her name.

"Claire!" a masculine voice called.

The tall young woman turned and was surprised to see none other than Jack running up to her.

"Is Amelia home?" he asked.

"No, she left a while ago to go to a party." she replied and noted the disappointed look that crossed his handsome features.

"Oh…" he looked away, but then glanced back up to the dark haired girl with hope when she spoke again.

"You know, she wasn't too thrilled about going, she only went because a friend of ours is hosting it. But knowing Amelia, she's probably bored to tears by now." she laughed a little. Claire then dug into her pocket and brought out a piece of paper. "Do you have a pen or something?"

"Certainly." Jack reached into his pocket and a pen suddenly appeared in his grasp. He then pulled it out and handed it to her.

"Thanks." she hastily scrawled something onto the paper and then handed it back to him. "There's the address. Go and rescue her." she winked and smiled at him.

"Thank you, Claire." he said blinking a little in surprise, but his demeanor had obviously become brighter.

"No problem." she beamed and watched as he began to leave. "Hey, could you do me a favor?" she suddenly asked.

He turned back around to face her, "Sure, anything."

"Ask Amelia out already."

"W-what?" her request had greatly taken him by surprise and he felt his cheeks become oddly warm.

"She's head over heels for you," Claire stated bluntly as a smile crossed her tan features, "and I can tell you feel the same way or else you wouldn't have come here."

Jack felt his heart stop for a second and his voice suddenly vanished as he opened his mouth to speak. The tall young woman rolled her eyes.

"Trust me. It's as plain as day that you two like each other." she walked up to him, turned him around, and pushed him.

"Hurry up and go!" she exclaimed, fed up with him being so clueless. He stumbled from her shove and glanced over his shoulder at her but she had already turned and was walking off.

The would-be skeleton man smiled and began to make his way to the young Armonia who had cast a spell over his heart.

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Ok everybody say it! Daaww!!! So what does our favorite skeleton-turned-human have planned? Well you can get a hint by reading the sneak peek! ;D Which I will post right after this! Please review!!!

**The next chapter is THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER EVAH!!!!!**


	29. Ice Dance

**Ok here it is! THE MOST important chapter EVAH!!! **

**LISTEN to Ice Dance by Danny Elfman from _Edward Scissorhands_ while you read this!!! It really sets the mood ^^**

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On Samhain's countryside stood a grand estate four stories tall painted in brilliant white, surrounded by a thin blanket of snow on the land which sparkled in the moon's radiant beams. Warm light poured out from the windows of the mansion as the distant sound of music and laughter wafted through the air.

Despite the happy, beautiful atmosphere, a young woman inside the estate stood beside a glass door dismally gazing out at the glittering sheen of white on the ground and the clear night sky. The girl wore a flattering black dress with straps and a scoop neckline. It had five thin light grey stripes down the front with a delicate black ribbon around her slender waist tied in a small bow on her side, and dainty black shoes with small heels adorned her feet. Around her neck was a sparkling blue pendant with a swirl of elegantly crafted silver wire over the stone. Her soft light brunette hair framed her face of gentle features which held a melancholy expression.

"Why Amelia darlin' you look so glum!" a southern accented female voice reached the young woman.

She turned to see a short black-haired girl, no older than herself, wearing a stunning green dress.

"What's the matter dear?" she asked with concern lacing her southern voice.

"Oh, nothing really Cassandra." the gloomy young woman replied.

"Now I know you well enough to know that ain't true."

"Honestly it's nothing," Amelia gave her a half-smile. "I'm just still a little stressed over college is all."

"Why on earth are you worrying about _college_ on _Christmas Eve_!?" the short young woman put her hands on her hips. The depressed student remained silent for a moment before smiling, laughing a little.

"You're right, I should be happy. Thank you for inviting me by the way."

"Oh not a problem at all dear! It's a shame that our good friend Claire couldn't make it," the young southerner sighed but then beamed brightly, "but family comes first and foremost of course!"

"Yeah."

Amelia was thankful her friend hadn't seen through her façade. Cassandra moved to mingle with her other guests of the college male persuasion and the would-be sorceress returned to gazing out at the picturesque night sky. It wasn't long until the talking and laughter of the people she didn't know became too much for her and she quietly slipped outside, ignoring the cold.

The saddened young woman slowly walked across the patio until she came up to one of the large columns holding up the roof. She rested her hand against the cool pillar as she absentmindedly peered up at the softly glowing crescent moon in the dark abyss dotted with twinkling stars. Though she didn't realize it, the pale light silhouetted against her in a way that emphasized her features in an elegant and beautiful way. Her other hand slowly reached up to brush her fingertips against the Gem of the Armonias and she looked down to gaze at the sparkling blue pendant that reflected the moonlight. She heaved a soft, dejected sigh as she thought about the man whom the stone glowed for.

"Now why on earth would such a lovely young woman be sad on the eve of the most joyous holiday?"

Amelia gasped and turned to see none other than Jack walking up to her, in his skeleton form.

"Jack!?" she exclaimed but then hastily moved him away from view of the glass door, "What are you doing!? Someone could have seen you!" she scolded but he only laughed.

"I like to be myself for the holidays." he replied with his signature grin.

The young woman felt a blush begin to creep across her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" she curiously asked, though avoiding his gaze.

"No one should be sad and alone on Christmas," his happy expression turned to that of worry, "and here I find you looking rather sad _and_ alone."

"Well, I'm just not enjoying myself. I don't know anybody here, other than Cassandra, but she's the hostess so she needs to spend time with the other guests." she explained, walking away from him a few steps and gazed back out at the snow covered ground. "I understand that of course, but I guess I'm just depressed because I've always been alone on Christmas."

"That can't be true Ami, what of your family?" he asked in disbelief of the words that had come from her.

"That's…not exactly what I meant." she replied, still not facing him. "I mean alone as in not having that _special someone_ to spend it with."

"Ohh…" he hesitated a moment before moving to stand beside her and placed a bony hand on her shoulder, causing the sorceress to look up at him. "Well, I may not be that "special someone" but I do care for you. You are my precious friend," he smiled, removing his hand and crossed his arms, "and as your friend I will not let you be gloomy during the happiest time of the year."

She giggled and Jack felt his undead heart suddenly beat. He loved the sound of her laughter, its delicate ring, and wanted nothing more than to listen to it all day long. The young woman returned her gaze to the snowy scene before them.

"Do you mind if I confide in you about something?" she suddenly asked.

"Of course Amelia."

"Remember when I told you that I had met Eric again a few years back?"

"Yes." the old flame of anger begin to spark within him but it was quickly extinguished by the concern he felt for the hurt young woman.

"It was on Christmas Eve that he didn't remember me, so since then I've been haunted by that memory every year. And when I think about it now, it hurts even more because of what happened…" she admitted, her head lowering.

"Well then, maybe it's time to replace that memory."

Amelia looked back up to him in surprise and was even more taken aback when he suddenly pulled her close to him, one skeletal hand intertwined with her own while the other rested on her waist. The sudden contact made her infamous blush appear across her cheeks, and then the music from within the mansion changed abruptly to a soft, lulling tune.

"Jack?" the confused Armonia looked up at him, but he simply gave a knowing smile and began to lead her in a dance.

"You were right," he stated after a moment, "dancing has become a favorite hobby of ours."

Amelia laughed and smiled warmly at him as they danced. They didn't speak anymore and merely let the music guide them. The radiant eyes of the sorceress expressed how happy she was, the feeling of sadness having left her completely. Jack's own smile widened as her cheery demeanor returned. He led her out into the field of lightly fallen snow and they glided across the land with their eerie grace. An odd warmth surrounded them, so much so that Amelia did not even feel the bitter winter cold. The faint music barely reached them now, but the two didn't care for the melody that played within their hearts now guided their steps. They had moved into a surrounding forest of tall trees and then into an old quiet graveyard, but being the rulers of Halloween Town, it did not faze them. Just like every previous time they danced together, the outside world wasn't there, it simply didn't exist. It was just the two of them and nothing else mattered.

Finally, their dance reluctantly came to a close and Jack led her to sit down on a bench nearby. The seat was small so it forced them to sit rather close to each other, though neither seemed to mind. The cold finally started to settle in, causing a shiver to run down the young woman's spine and she hugged herself in an attempt to keep warm. Jack lifted his arm but hesitated a moment before carefully placing it around her shoulders, and he was slightly taken aback when she gratefully leaned into him. They stayed like that for several moments, silently enjoying each other's company. He felt her shiver again and his embrace instinctively tightened, bringing her closer. Amelia felt her heart began to beat louder to the point she was certain Jack could hear it. A blush had spread across her cheeks and, once again, the thought of confessing to him entered her mind. A soft glow began to emit from the stone that hung from her neck, but the Armonia quickly gripped it to shield the light. After a few more moments, she finally swallowed her nerves and felt a strange tightening sensation in her chest as she decided to break the silence.

"Jack…I'm so glad you've always been there for me, catching me when I fall." she said softly, but didn't meet his gaze.

The skeleton man looked down at her, arching a would-be eyebrow. He was surprised at her sudden words, but could tell she was nervous about something so he didn't interrupt.

"I am ever thankful for the day I opened the door to Halloween Town and met you." Amelia continued, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "You have been my dearest friend, more than words can express." She paused for a moment before looking up at him. "Jack…what do you think of me?"

His gaze was locked onto her radiant cyan blue eyes which sparkled in the moon's soft beams. It was like he was being swept away by the tide as he became lost in her ocean colored orbs. He had been so entranced that it took him a moment to absorb what she had asked.

"Why, you're my dear friend as well, Ami." he smiled at her. "I care for you deeply and I too am very grateful for the day you _dropped_ in."

Amelia looked away once again, swallowing the lump in her throat, and she finally asked the question.

"D-do you think…we c-could be…s-something…more?"

His eyes widened in surprise as he understood what she was asking, "A-Amelia…"

He wanted nothing more than to tell her how he felt but Jack was so stunned that he couldn't find his voice, and the young woman took his silence as a rejection. She abruptly stood up, her heart shattering, and tears threatened to fall. The light from the Gem of the Armonias quickly faded away.

"I'm sorry, just forget I ever said anything!" she choked out and started to run.

"Wait!" he called after her as he hastily stood. His voice caused her to stop but she didn't dare turn to face him. A stray tear slowly slid down her cheek.

"If I didn't feel the same way," he began as he walked toward her, "then I wouldn't do this."

He grabbed her wrist and whipped her around. He placed his hand on her lower back to bring her close to him, and kissed her.

Her eyes were wide in shock but they closed as she kissed him back, moving her hands to rest on his shoulders. His free hand snaked up her back, becoming entangled in her light brunette locks as he deepened the kiss. Amelia felt her heart soar and the pendant around her neck began to glow once again. If Jack had a heart it certainly would have been beating rapidly, but he was too caught up in the moment to care. The only thing he wanted was to show the young sorceress how much she meant to him. She leaned into him as his arm wrapped around her slender waist. He pulled her closer until she was flush against him and felt the heat from her face begin to rise. He kissed her passionately and didn't release her until they had to break for air. They reluctantly parted and gazed into each other's hooded eyes.

"Jack…" Amelia breathed, but before she could say more, he captured her lips again.

Her arms slipped around his neck as she welcomed his kiss which sent a spark of electricity coursing through her. They were enveloped in a mysterious warmth which filled their very souls, lighting a dormant fire. Jack poured out his unspoken feelings into the kiss as he deepened, enjoying the feeling of her soft lips. Amelia did the same, pouring out everything she had kept locked inside her heart as she pulled him closer, melting into his arms. Once again, they didn't separate until air became a necessity and they slowly broke apart.

Jack stared into the rolling seas of Amelia's oceanic eyes and once again felt as though he was being swept into her very soul. Then, he noticed a single silver tear fall from one of her glistening cyan blue orbs and trail down the lightly tinted flesh of her cheek. He brought up his skeletal hand and gently brushed away the cool droplet. He looked at her with worry and concern as to why she was crying, but then a joyous smile tugged at the young woman's lips and she finally spoke.

"I love you, Jack."

The skeleton man's hollow eyes widened in shock and a bright smile spread across his features.

"Amelia…I love you too."

The Armonia's heart began to sing and the familiar blue light from the pendant around her neck started shining even brighter. They both glanced at the gem before meeting each other's gaze again.

"Are you certain you don't know what that glowing means?" Jack asked, raising a would-be eyebrow as a small smirk crossed his skeletal face.

Amelia's blush returned full force and she looked away from embarrassment. "Y-you wouldn't believe me if I told you." A bony hand cupped her chin and moved her gaze back to him.

"Try me."

"Th-the l-legend is th-that…it glows i-in the p-presence of an A-Armonia's…t-true love." she explained nervously.

"Well then, I guess the legend is true." he smiled and gave her a light peck on the lips, unknowingly making her heart leap.

"I suppose so." she giggled and looked away.

"What is it?"

"I…I just can't believe this is happening," her radiant blue eyes returned to his, "for so long I've wanted to tell you. I…I just…"

"Feared that I wouldn't return your feelings?" he finished for her.

"Y-yeah, how did you know?"

"Well," he smiled, "I was worried about the same thing with you."

"Really?" her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes," he gently held the side of her face in his bony hand, "I thought I was foolish to believe that a beautiful young woman like you would ever accept the heart of an undead skeleton."

A splash of pink spread across her cheeks, but she smiled warmly at him and gently placed her hand over his.

"And here I thought I was the foolish one to think that my good friend would ever see me as something more than just a friend. I was so worried about wrecking the relationship we already had that…"

"It kept you from taking the chance, I know, that stopped me as well."

"So, all this time…we felt the same."

"Yeah…"

The icy touch of a snowflake landed softly on Amelia's exposed shoulder, causing a chill to run through the sorceress. She shivered and nuzzled into Jack's chest for warmth. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders as the other tightened around her waist. The Pumpkin King smiled, he loved holding the young sorceress in his arms. He rested his head against hers, pulling her closer to him and enjoyed the loving warmth she sent through him. Amelia felt it as well and let it wash over her like a tidal wave, but then snow softly and steadily began to fall.

"Jack…I love being with you like this, but I'll get a cold if I stay out here any longer."

He laughed and released her, taking her hand in his and they began to walk back to the estate together. The Armonia shivered again and the Atrum suddenly stopped. She gasped in surprise when he suddenly scooped her up into his arms bridal-style and casually resumed walking.

"J-Jack!? W-what are you doing?"

"Carrying you."

"_Why_?"

"I thought you always wanted to be carried off by the man of your dreams." he grinned at her. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and laugh.

"I think you mean the _nightmare_ of my dreams."

"Yes that too." he chuckled.

He stopped once again as Amelia laced her arms around his neck and leaned up to him. Jack then lowered his head and gently met her lips in a loving kiss.

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Ok so I pretty much gave into my readers's demands on this one XD So I hope you enjoyed it!! Especially for this chapter REVIEW!!! Please? I gave you Jamelia!!! XD

By the way, hope you guys liked the meaning of The Nightmare of Her Dreams! ;D

Oh and before someone asks "How can he kiss her when he's a skeleton?" use your imaginations! Just go with it lol!


	30. A Frantic Letter

**Well I was very pleased with the turn out of reviews! But as you can obviously tell, the last chapter was not the end of the story. Oooh no, this writer still has one last trick up her sleeve! It wouldn't be TNHD without another twist now would it? ;)**

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It was December twenty-sixth and the dark haired waitress at La Petite Café lounged comfortably in one of the chairs as the bell on the door rang when the only customer left the shop with a steaming cup of coffee in his hands.

'I'm so glad our family Christmas only lasted one day and I got to work. I love slow days, easy paycheck.' Claire thought to herself with a content smile across her tan features. She began to sip her warm cup of tea when she saw Jack and Amelia come in, and the first thing she noticed, they were walking hand-in-hand. She spat out her tea in surprise, making everyone in the café turn to look at her with startled expressions.

"You two are _together_!?" she shouted, ignoring the looks her fellow employees gave her. The newly labeled couple didn't even have enough time to respond before the tall young woman sprinted over to them. "Really!? For real!?"

"U-um…yeah." Amelia responded with an embarrassed smile as a blush crept across her cheeks.

"I knew it! _Finally_!" Claire cheered and wrapped her arms around their necks in a tight embrace, startling the two. "I _told_ you, you guys are _perfect_ for each other!" she exclaimed as she took a step back from them. "But no, you thought I was crazy, insane, and completely out-of-my-mind. But I was right!"

"Yeah, you were." Amelia laughed and rolled her eyes. Claire was about to exclaim with joy yet again when her demeanor changed and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Wait a minute," she crossed her arms, "prove it."

"Excuse me?" Jack blinked in confusion.

"Prove to me that you two really are an item now. I don't want you trying to pull a fast one on me now just to get me to shut up."

"Really Claire, it's true!" her friend insisted.

"Prove. It."

The two would-be sorcerers exchanged glances before Jack shrugged and said, "Alright."

He suddenly wrapped one arm around Amelia's waist, held her hand in his, and dipped her before meeting her lips in a deep, swooning, heart-melting kiss.

The waitress's eyes were wide in absolute shock, as were the other workers in the café who had come out to see what on earth was going on. After a while, Jack reluctantly parted from Amelia and brought her back up. The young woman's cerulean eyes were foggy and her face was flushed while Jack smiled at her, almost smirking.

"Good enough for you?" he asked, glancing over that the gawking waitress.

"O-ok, I believe you."

--

Over the next few days Jack and Amelia were known to be a couple, _finally_. Even Amelia's parents greatly approved of her new boyfriend, much to the pair's surprise. If they hadn't before, the two certainly spent every waking moment together now.

The young Armonia had never felt happier in her life, it was like she was in a dream where the skeleton man who captured her heart returned her feelings and they would live happily ever after. But it wasn't a dream, and several times she had to remind herself of that. It seemed as though everything was finally going right.

It was the day before New Year's Eve and Jack and Amelia were walking through the forest along a familiar path. They held each other's hand, the young woman resting her head on his shoulder, both enjoying the comfortable silence. Subconsciously, their footsteps guided them to a familiar circle of trees with strange colored bark, the Holiday Doors. Right as they were directly in front of the tree with the wickedly smiling jack-o-lantern, the door suddenly flew open. The abrupt movement however didn't startle the two Halloween Town royals, but they were perplexed when something white fell onto the ground and the door slammed shut. Jack and Amelia exchanged confused glances before the Pumpkin King walked over to the strange object and picked it up.

"It's a letter," he stated as she moved to stand beside him. His green eyes then widened in surprise, "from the Mayor?"

_Jack! The unthinkable has happened! Time has resumed in Halloween Town and panic has ensued! We need you back to figure out this problem before it gets better! Hurry! _

_Mayor_

"Time has resumed?" Amelia repeated after reading the letter herself. "But how is that possible?"

"I really don't know. You've spent several weeks in Halloween Town and time was still frozen before you returned, right?"

"Yeah, whenever I went back everything was always exactly as it was when I left."

"Well then," he sighed, "I guess I have no choice but to return. By the sounds of things, it's pretty serious."

Jack pocketed the letter and turned to face Amelia. He gently held her face in his warm hands as his emerald colored eyes gazed into her oceanic orbs. "But I promise I'll figure something out. I'll be back by New Year's if at all possible."

"I know you will." the sorceress smiled warmly at him and placed her hand gently over his own.

The thought of leaving her seemed impossible but Jack knew what he had to do, and he wanted to make sure that she knew he would never break his promise. Slowly, his lips descended upon hers, capturing them in a gentle, loving kiss. He felt her hands slide up his chest to rest on his shoulders as she kissed back, her touch sending sparks of electricity coursing through him. He deepened as his hands trailed down her sides and wrapped securely around her slender waist. Her lips molded perfectly with his own, filling both sorcerers with a sense of warmth and passion that was their love for each other. But all too soon, they slowly broke apart from lack of air and still held onto one another, not wanting to let go.

"I love you, Jack." the young woman in his arms smiled up at him, making his heart swell.

"And I love you, my Amelia," he said, taking her hands in his, "and I can't stand to be away from you for a mere second…which is why I want to ask you this. Will you come with me to Halloween Town, to stay?"

Her blue eyes widened in surprise and a small gasp escaped her. She wanted nothing more than to leave and remain with him in the realm of Halloween, but something held her back.

"Jack I…I really want to, with every fiber of my being, but I…I can't. I can't just give up my mortal life, especially after everything I've worked for."

"Of course," he smiled and nodded, "I understand. That was…selfish of me, but can you blame me?"

"No, of course not." she giggled.

"But you are right, I would much rather you achieve your dreams first." he gently brought her pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. "However, the offer is always there."

"Do you really think this will work out?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I mean, you'll be waiting for a long time for me to finally live in Halloween Town forever."

"For you Amelia, I would wait several eternities if it meant we could at least be together." he said as he gently stroked her soft, light brunette hair.

"Just as I would for you." she said softly and looked up into his captivating eyes. He leaned down to kiss her again when she pressed her delicate finger against his lips, making him glance at her in confusion.

"I want to kiss the _real_ Jack Skellington."

It was his turn to look at her in surprise, but he chuckled and smiled at her. He snapped his fingers and human Jack was replaced with his normal skeleton form in his usual pinstripe suit.

"As…you wish…" he spoke softly as the space between them slowly vanished. A thin arm wrapped around her waist as a skeletal hand became entangled in her light brunette locks. Jack pulled her against him, smirking against her lips when he felt the heat begin to radiate off her now flushed face. He gently pressed against the back of her head, deepening the kiss. She laced her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to her though there was no longer any space between them. He poured out his love for her in the passionate moment as he felt her do the same, and his mind was sent into a dizzying spiral. Amelia's own mind had been thrown into a thick fog as the tidal wave of warmth washed over her, something only he could do. They both were now lacking in air and reluctantly parted, yet Jack let her lips linger for a few moments longer before he fully pulled away.

He stared into her foggy cerulean colored orbs as she gazed up at him, her eyes hooded and she panted softly to catch her breath. His skeletal hand gently held the side of her face, savoring her warmth and the feel of her skin. She smiled at him and he felt the insane longing to stay by her side.

"I am truly sorry…but I must leave." he said reluctantly.

"Alright, I'll be holding you to your promise."

He chuckled and gave her one last fleeting kiss on her lips. Solemnly, he turned away from her and opened the pumpkin shaped door. The familiar low howling sound came and the black wind carrying colorful autumn leaves burst through the hollow tree. It enveloped the skeleton man and pulled him in. The door to Halloween Town slammed shut, and Amelia didn't like the finalizing sound it made. She felt an ache in her chest and placed a hand over her sadly beating heart.

'I wonder if this is how Jack felt whenever I left…'

The crestfallen Armonia hugged her coat and gloomily trudged back to her apartment.

--

"He _what_!?" Claire shouted in absolute disbelief.

"He had to leave…" Amelia repeated gazing at her hands in her lap where she sat slumped in a chair.

"B-but you guys _just_ got together! How could he just _leave_!?" The distressed young woman began to pace back and forth in their tiny living room in front of her depressed roommate.

"He's been gone from his job for a while now and they needed him back in time for their town's upcoming New Year's Eve celebration."

"This just doesn't make any sense. Why didn't you go with him!? Your parents miraculously approve of him, you're madly in love with the guy, and he returns your feelings. Yet, you just let him _walk out_ like that!?"

"He…He said that we wouldn't be able to spend much time together because he'll be so busy."

"I don't believe this guy. Are you sure he didn't have a girlfriend back home?"

"_What_!? No, of course he doesn't! Jack would never do anything like that to me…and even if he did, you'd pummel him in a heartbeat."

Claire sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. She stopped her pacing and put her hands on her hips as she turned to face Amelia.

"Did he say when he was going to be back?"

"He said he would try to come back on New Year's Day if possible, and if not, most definitely the day after."

"I don't know Amelia, there's a good chance he has another agenda."

"Claire! How can you say such things!? You were the one who so desperately tried to get us together and now suddenly you're the relationship police!?"

"I'm just looking out for you!" her hazel colored eyes became downcast and her voice quieted. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Claire…" The saddened young woman stood up and wrapped her arms around her friend in a grateful embrace. "I'm blessed to have someone like you looking out for me, thank you." she moved to meet her friend's gaze. "But trust me, Jack would _never_ harm me. He is more of a man than those pigs before could ever hope to be. He cares for me, really."

A smile crossed the tall woman's features and she pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"Aw, I guess you're right. I just can't help but act like the big sister you've always wanted."

"You don't act, you are."

--

"Jack…Jack..._Jack_!"

"Hm?"

"Weren't you listening!?"

"Um…yes?"

The Mayor, with his face turned to his pale worried face, sighed in exasperation. He and Jack were in a meeting room in city hall and the Pumpkin King was hardly listening to a word he said.

"What on earth has got you so distracted!?"

A wide smile spread across his skeletal face. "Amelia."

"Huh?"

"She loves me!" Jack exclaimed happily.

"WHAT!?"

"Can you believe it? She loves me…and I love her, and we're together! I have never been so happy before in my life!"

"J-Jack no! You c-can't be in a _relationship_ like that!"

"And why not?"

"Because you'll be distracted!"

"That's preposterous."

"Then what have I been talking to you about for the past fifteen minutes!?"

"Er…plans for…next year's Halloween?" the skeleton man smiled sheepishly.

"No! The crisis at hand! Time resumed in Halloween Town while you were in the human world!" the Mayor yelled in a panic.

"Oh, right…"

"You see!? You're distracted! And we need to be focusing on the problem!"

"I don't see why we need to fuss about it so much."

"D-don't _need_ to!? Jack! It's absolutely necessary! All of the holidays depend on that time stop, Sandy Claws especially!"

"Hmm, I never thought about it that way…"

"And if we lose that time when the holidays are celebrated, that's all the less time we have to prepare for next year!"

"Mayor, I really don't think we need to spend three hundred and sixty five days out of the year devoted to planning Halloween."

"Have you gone _sane_!?"

"No, and I have the perfect example to prove my point. Amelia arranged an entire celebration in just three months, and she was only sixteen."

"B-but Halloween Town needs all of that careful planning!"

"Have you ever noticed how Amelia's eyes sparkle when she laughs?"

"_Eh_!?"

"Her laugh is like a lovely chime."

"This is why I believe you being in a relationship is a _good_ idea, you've already begun to think about her and nothing else! We need to get back to figuring out this crisis!"

"Please Mayor, you really are worrying way too much. And besides," Jack stood up from his seat, "I will be leaving Halloween Town for a long while."

The distressed elected official fell out of his chair when he reeled back in shock.

"Y-you can't be serious Jack!" he cried as he hastily got up.

"I am quite serious. But it's not as though I'm leaving permanently, no. I will be back long enough to make the preparations for Halloween, and once the holiday is over, I shall leave again and later return again the next year and so on, like a cycle."

"B-but _why_?"

"I want to spend as much time as possible with the one I love, Amelia Brave."

The poor mayor shrieked in disbelief before falling back into his chair. His eyes seemed to be spinning as though what Jack had just told him was too much to comprehend.

"My decision is final," the Pumpkin King gave a curt nod and turned on his heel to leave, "and there is nothing that will change my mind."

Before the Mayor could make any more protests, Jack Skellington left city hall.

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LOL! I can just totally picture Jack staring off into space, thinking about _his _Armonia hee hee. And it seems that he has a plan to stay with her! BUT WAIT!!! Mystic has YET ANOTHER twist ahead!!?? What on earth is this insane authoress going to do!!?? Review and and tune in next week to find out! ;D


	31. New Year's Eve

**PLEASE READ THIS OR ELSE THE BOOGIE MAN WILL EAT YOU!!!**

**Ok now that I have your attention, seriously this is important. There may be a point in the story where you want to stop reading and I beg you PLEASE DON'T!!! Trust me, in my writing, there is pretty much a reason for everything so PLEASE just keep reading. You've got to trust me on this.**

**Also, on a happier note, I will be doing an interview in which I answer questions from you guys the readers! So if you have any questions about any of the stories or even myself please tell me in a review and your question just might appear in the interview!**

**As a side-note, I strongly dissapprove of minors drinking but it is vital to the plot. Just know that I do not support it and you will be able to see that in my writing. **

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Loud music and bright lights blared from within a large two-story house on a suburb street in Samhain. Inside, a carefree New Year's Eve party was being held and, after a while, it obviously started to veer out of control. This was not the "small get-together" that Amelia Brave had expected. She leaned against a wall, away from most of the ruckus, with her arms folded and a wary expression across her face. She was anxious when she saw many of her old, and still underage, classmates brought out a cooler of beer and other alcoholic drinks. Some even walked in through the front door with tall brown bottles in their hands.

Of course, Amelia already knew that most of the current students at her old high school drank and didn't really care about what the law said. She never let it bother her all that much until one of her dearest friends had become addicted to alcohol. Daniel, the main bass guitarist for the Black Vipers and one of her good friends whom she never expected to turn out in such a way, was on the verge of becoming an alcoholic.

She had tried to talk him out of his new bad habit, even trying to make him feel guilty to make him to snap out of it, but nothing worked. It appeared he was too far deep to be brought back to the reasonable real world. Though she didn't like his new way of having fun, she was still his friend and stuck by him.

"Hey Amelia!" the tall dark-haired young man greeted as he walked up to her, holding a peculiar looking bottle in one hand.

"Hey Daniel." she gave him a half-smile.

"I'm glad you and Claire could make it to my party," he then scratched his head and looked around, "where the heck did that tall girl go anyway?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "probably beating some of your friends at foosball."

"She would too! That girl is the most competitive person I know." the guitarist laughed and then took a big swig out of his bottle. "Oh, did you want any?" he offered.

A look of disappointment crossed her features. "Daniel, you know what I think about underage drinking."

"Man! I thought college would change you!" he slouched his shoulders, "So you're still a stickler for the rules eh?"

"There are rules for a reason you know."

"Which are always meant to be broken!" he laughed hysterically. Amelia just rolled her eyes.

"I still don't like watching you get drunk. You always end up doing something stupid." her annoyed tone then changed to that of genuine concern. "One of these days, someone is going to get hurt."

"Psh," he waved it off, "that's not gonna happen. That's why I always crash at the house where the party's at and leave the next day."

"Yeah only when you're still able to think _somewhat_ straight."

"Listen. Don't worry your pretty little head, ok? This party is at my place this time so I won't be going anywhere. I'll be fine. You'll be fine. Everything will be fine!" he said reassuringly with a wide grin spreading across his face again.

"Well, I'm going to go find Claire." Amelia said, taking a few steps toward the mob of people in the living room.

"Alrighty. Tell her I said hi, I'm not sure if I remember telling her myself or not." he laughed loudly and took another drink while the college student rolled her eyes and began to weave through the crowd.

After a minute or so of searching, and avoiding the drunks who were beginning to pass out, the disgruntled nineteen year-old finally found her roommate. Claire was talking to a guy, her blue-green eyes holding a gleam of interest, until he picked up a beer and held it out to her. Immediately she waved her hand and shook her head to decline, much to the young man's disappointment.

'At least _someone_ gets it!' Amelia thought to herself and then tapped her friend on the shoulder, giving the tall young woman the opportunity she needed to excuse herself.

"Ok that's the third time I've talked to a cute guy only to find out he's underage and drinking." Claire huffed in disappointment.

"Well what did you expect? It's Daniel's party so everyone's underage and drinking."

"Yeah, too true unfortunately. But let's get off that depressing subject. Have you heard anything from Jack?"

"No, it's only been a day since he's been gone."

"I thought for sure the guy would've called you at least a dozen times by now. Is he out of range or something?"

"You could say that." Amelia laughed a little, "You know something Claire, you were right."

"About you and Jack being perfect for each other? Heck yeah I was right!"

"Well yes that too, but I meant that you were right about me confessing to him before Christmas."

"You see? I have a sixth sense when it comes to these things."

"I can tell."

"So are you going to go live with him after you graduate?"

"What!?"

"Oh _please_, don't tell me we're going to start this up again. Right now, my sixth sense is kicking in and it's telling me that you two are going to be together for a _long_ time."

"I really don't know Claire, I mean, we just started dating. I don't want to be thinking that far ahead."

"…Yet. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he got down on one knee fairly soon."

"Claire! Now you're just acting insane!"

"That's what you said before when I told you that you and Jack should get together, and look where we are now."

"No, I seriously think you've lost it."

"Honey, if I'm your best friend," Claire wrapped an arm around Amelia's shoulder, "I never had it."

"I think there was an insult in there somewhere." the shorter young woman retorted, making the other laugh.

"Ok, ok, maybe I was jumping the gun a little—"

"A _little_?"

"—but I am certain you guys are going to be an item for a long time to come."

"Well…I certainly hope so."

"Aww you're so cute when you're in love." Claire gave Amelia a tight hug.

"Need…to…breathe!"

"Oh," the dark brunette laughed sheepishly, letting go of her friend, "sorry."

"Hey…what would you say if I left for a long time, hypothetically speaking of course."

The tall young woman blinked in surprise as if trying to process that her roommate actually said those words. "…What?"

"You see I…I'm considering studying abroad! Yeah, and I won't be able to keep in contact with you or my parents even."

"Well first I'd say 'Don't leave me!'" Claire wrapped her arms around Amelia with a sorrow-filled expression, and then she suddenly backed off, "But then I would say, 'Take pictures of some hot foreign guys for me!'" she winked and grinned, holding out a thumbs-up, making her friend laugh.

"So where are you planning on going?" the tall young woman curiously inquired.

"I'm…not really sure. I was thinking along the lines of Vienna, Austria. It's the music capital of the world after all."

"Oh Amelia, ever the one to follow your musical heart." Claire smiled. "But won't Jack miss you terribly?"

"Well yeah… I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I decide to go. But it's all just an idea anyway." the light brunette shrugged.

"Honestly I'd prefer it if you didn't leave for quite some time. One, you're the only person I can stand to share a room with. Two, I _know_ you don't want to leave Jack."

"You got me there." Amelia laughed a little and smiled.

Suddenly a loud crash was heard as a coffee table collapsed under the weight of the teenagers who were dancing on top of it, causing the drunks to land in an awkward heap. The two friends simultaneously sighed in exasperation.

"Yeah, I'm going to head on home. I can't stand to be around these idiots anymore." Amelia stated dryly.

"I wish I could but I'm the designated driver for a couple people, who I'll most likely have to drag out to the car…again."

"You're the only person I know who can haul that much dead weight." the shorter young woman tried to make light of the situation.

"Yeah, yeah. You make it sound like I deserve a medal."

"When you go out of your way that much, you do."

"Ha, ha. Anyway, be safe on your way home. You know how people get on New Year's Eve."

"Don't I know it."

With that said, Amelia made her way towards the door, weaving her way through the obstacles of teens that had passed out on the floor. As soon as she was out, she hastily walked down the sidewalk until she was about a block away from the house.

"Thank God I'm not stupid enough to drink." The young woman heaved a sigh, "Yet I work at a bar. Go figure." She then casually started on her way back to her apartment, all the while, thoughts buzzing through her head.

'Austria…heh, that's so far from the truth. I'm actually going to a parallel world where the holidays exist and my boyfriend is really the King of Halloween.' she placed her hand over her heart, 'I love him so much that I'm more than willing to give up my human life to be by his side. So, I've decided…I'm going to take him up on his offer and stay with him in Halloween Town.'

Amelia let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding as she came to her decision. She hugged her coat tighter as she felt the temperature drop. The young woman continued on her way down the well-lit sidewalk, her thoughts finally silenced. Instead of turning down the road that would lead her to her apartment she went the opposite direction toward her old home, now on the way that would eventually take her to the path through the forest. Her heart ached as she longed again to see the man who captured it, she just couldn't stand to be away from him anymore.

--

Jack Skellington, in his normal human form, strolled happily down a sidewalk with a single red rose in his hand. He hummed jovially to himself with a bright smile spread across his handsome features.

"I can't wait to surprise her," he stated gleefully, "and to tell her the good news!" He then stopped and held out the rose. "For you my lovely Amelia, though no rose could ever compare to your wondrous beauty." he paused, imagining her accepting the flower, "And now, I have something _very_ important to tell you. So that we may never feel the hardship of being apart ever again, I've decided to remain in the human world with you!" he sighed in content.

"Yes, everything will be perfect." he said to himself and resumed his walk down the street.

After a few minutes, he saw red and blue lights up ahead on the street. His eyes widened in surprise and curiosity and he hastily dashed down the sidewalk. He came upon a large white vehicle with the flashing lights and the word _AMBULANCE_ written on the sides. Nearby, there were two cars, an old black muscle car and a white car with the same red and blue lights. A man in a dark blue uniform was talking to a tall, dark-haired, teenage boy and they stood just a few feet away from the vehicles. The teenager began to walk toward the man in the uniform, albeit a little wobbly. Jack cautiously walked a little closer and gasped when he recognized the young man as Daniel, Amelia's friend.

"What on earth?" he muttered to himself and looked back toward the ambulance, his heart sank to the ground. Standing beside the open doors to the white vehicle were Amelia's parents with their arms wrapped around each other, both in tears. His blood ran ice cold when he saw something that looked like a body underneath a white sheet on top of what seemed to be a skinny bed with wheels. Even though he had lived over a century ago, he knew what the full covering of a person meant.

"No…" he felt his entire body shattering, not just his heart. His whole world came crashing down in that one moment. Jack stood frozen in place, his eyes wide in shock, and the worst pain he ever felt in his life tore at his insides and his very soul. He dropped the rose and remained unmoving for a moment longer as if trying to wake up from a horrible nightmare. But soon he realized that he was awake and everything he saw was really happening. The distraught man took off down the street, back the way he came.

--

'Wha…What? Where…am I?'

A young woman lied in the middle of the forest, dressed in white, surrounded by tall lifeless trees. She groaned as she sat up, a sharp pain shooting through her head. Delicately, she rubbed her temples with her pale fingers. Then she began to look around, recognizing her surroundings.

"How…How did I get here?" she asked aloud.

"Souls always return to a place of importance when they die."

The young woman let out a startled gasp and hastily got up to face the stranger who had spoken. By the tone of his voice she could tell that he was male, and saw that he wore a long, tattered, faded, black cloak with a hood that hid his face in shadow. He held a tall, gleaming, sinister-looking scythe in his grip, which she now noticed it was a skeletal hand clasped around the staff. Warily, she stepped closer to him and tried to get a better look at his face.

"…Jack?"

He chuckled in amusement and pulled down his hood.

"It's been a long time since someone mistook me for him."

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**Ok so if any of you feel like you want to stop reading/murdering me PLEASE DON'T!!! Seriously, nearly everything I write HAS A POINT AND REASON FOR BEING THERE!!! So please please please don't kill me and go read the sneak peek. *Hides in secret shelter***

***voice from the distance* On a happier note, I will be having an interview in which I answer questions from you the readers! So if you have a question about the story (other than the obvious one, I'm being serious people) or about myself then send it in a review and your question just might appear in the interview! Did I mention it's going to be on youtube? **

**Please check out the News page on the TNAB website for an important announcement.**


	32. A Choice

**First of all, thank you guys so much for not sending the ninjas to assassinate me like I thought what was going to happen. Seriously, I was watching my windows carefully...**

**Anyway! Thank you all so so much who submitted questions for the interview! It has been recorded and my friend is in the process of editing it and all that jazz, so be looking out for a video to appear on the TNAB website! **

**Now, on with the chapter!**

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The woman dressed in white gasped in surprise at the deep, eerie tone of his voice and at the scrapes and scars that adorned his skeletal head. Of what she could see, his bones were a light dingy grey, not white. His hollow eyes revealed that he was weary, yet very wise. A skeletal smile then crossed his features.

"I am Charon, the Grim Reaper, as you could probably tell from the scythe." he joked.

"B-but if y-you're the Grim R-reaper…then that m-means…I-I am…"

"Dead? Yes, I'm afraid so my dear."

"H-how?"

"I'll make it short so you don't have to deal with anymore shock. You were hit by a drunk driver." he then shook his head, "Such a pity. I pick up more people killed in that very same way than anything else."

"I-I was w-what!? B-by who!?"

"Do you really want to know?"

She hesitated a moment before nodding her head.

"A young fellow, whom you know, that goes by the name of Daniel."

Her eyes widened and her pupils shrank to microscopic dots. She was about to collapse to her knees when Charon hastily grabbed her firmly by the arm, preventing her fall.

"Whoa, easy now." He made certain she could stand on her own before he let go. "All right, so you know how you died. Now it's my turn to ask the questions." he stated, "How did a mortal come about knowing Jack Skellington? That is who you meant when you said Jack, right?"

"Y-yeah. I've known him since I was a little girl, and I'm his heir to—"

"Wait, wait, wait." he hastily stopped her, his hollow eyes wide in surprise, "What's your name?"

"Amelia Brave."

"No…_The_ Amelia Brave!? Princess of _Halloween_ Amelia Brave!?"

"Yeah…that's me."

"That just _can't_ be true! I didn't expect to pick you up until several decades down the road!"

"Well…I guess that make two of us. But how do you know about me?"

"Oh, forgive me your highness," he gave a bow and came back up to look at her, "I am a frequent visitor to Halloween Town. In fact, I'm a friend of Jack's. I'm sorry that I never had the opportunity to make your acquaintance before." he smiled in slight amusement, "I don't have much free time."

"That's all right and please, you don't need to bow or address me so formally." Amelia said sheepishly.

"I see, you're just like Jack in the way of "royal" manners." The reaper chuckled.

"Wait, why am I even having this conversation? I'm dead!" It was as though reality had finally set in on the princess, "Please Charon, does Jack know what happened!?"

"I'm afraid not." he shrugged, "My job is to guide souls into the next life, not to inform friends and family."

Amelia put her face in her hands as she became stricken with sobs. "Please! I must be able to say goodbye to him! Can I do that at least?"

"Well…I…" the Grim Reaper hesitated, knowing that the rule was to not allow the spirits to say their last farewells. But he didn't have to ponder over it too much when a bright light appeared in the sky above them. "Ah, it seems that you have someone from the other side who wants to speak to you."

The distraught young woman glanced at him and he pointed up, so she tilted her head toward the sky and saw the shining light descend to just a few yards away from them. Someone stepped through, but the intensity of the brilliance was too much for Amelia to be able to see. The light finally died away and standing before them was a young girl of no more than sixteen years old with dark wavy locks and wearing a white gown. She had pale skin and eyes as blue as the sea.

"Elizabeth…" the recently departed sorceress breathed in surprise.

"Hello Amelia, it's been a while." the Victorian girl smiled and approached her descendant. "I am truly sorry for your tragedy, but I have come to you as a messenger. You have been given a choice, Amelia Brave."

"A choice?"

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded, "to either ascend into the life beyond, or to remain on earth as one of the undead." Her demeanor changed to that of warning, "But, the latter has a catch. If you decide to remain, then you cannot step foot into the human world for one hundred years."

"It's quite a rare opportunity." Charon said, walking up beside Amelia. "The last soul I saw who was given this choice was Jack Skellington himself."

The sorceress looked back at Elizabeth who smiled warmly, her gentle eyes held a particular "knowing" and her descendant smiled back, her own eyes also holding a certain gleam.

"What is your decision?" the Victorian asked.

--

A tall skeleton man in a pinstripe suit with a bat-bowtie was crumpled against a tombstone next to a weeping willow tree in a small cemetery. He was crying, tears streaming down his bony face, and wailing in grief.

"I-It just can't be! S-she c-can't be _gone_!" he sobbed. "Amelia! Oh Amelia! Please come back! Tell me you are not _dead_! Come back to me so that I may hold you, tell you I love you, and never let anything like this ever happen to you!"

He folded his arms on top of the headstone and cried into them.

"I had only just told her I loved her…and now she's been torn from me!" he bawled, "I lost Elizabeth…and now…I've lost Amelia! I…I can't go on. If she isn't with me…then I have no reason to live." he choked, "She was becoming my very life, the very essence of my soul…Oh Amelia, why? Why? Why?" he repeated over and over. He felt his entire body begin to crumble from the grief. His heart had shattered with no hope of ever putting the pieces back together. The young Armonia was his heaven on earth, and now that glorious light of his life had suddenly been shut out, leaving the Atrum in a bleaker darkness than any he had ever encountered.

"Amelia…" he breathed as silent tears cascaded down his skeletal face. He simply laid there, slumped against the grave which belonged to his first tragic loss. It felt to him as though his very soul was slipping away.

Between the spaces of his overlapped arms, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a light. He figured that someone from town had come looking for him so he tried to gather himself up as best he could and stood. As he blinked away the remainder of the miserable salty drops, the light behind him had begun to grow brighter and brighter. He turned to see what it was but it was too luminous for his hollow eyes to take in. Jack raised his arm to block the light, and then it began to fade away. The skeleton man lowered his thin arm and gasped in complete shock. He stood frozen, in fear that what he was seeing was only a hallucination.

There, levitating in the air was the sorceress whom he presumed to be dead, Amelia Brave. She was wearing her normal long silver gown, her circlet crown upon her head, and her eyes were closed as she softly descended to the ground. The young woman opened her deep oceanic eyes and met the astonished gaze of the skeleton man a few feet in front of her. Her bright blue orbs began to shine as a joyous smile crossed her gentle features.

"Jack!"

"A-Amelia…?" he breathed in disbelief.

The sorceress quickly ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. The skeleton man took a step back as she suddenly hugged him. He hesitantly brought his arms around her and then reality finally set in.

"Amelia!" he cried happily as he pulled her closer, tightening his embrace. He rested his head on hers, tears escaping from his hollow eyes once again. "It's you…It's really you!"

"Yeah it's me." she said softly as she buried her face in his chest, not wanting to let go of him.

After a moment, Jack lifted her chin to meet his gaze before he quickly captured her lips in a loving, passionate kiss. Amelia felt the incredible joy he poured into her, understanding how happy he was to see her. She felt his hand become entangled in her light brunette locks so she deepened the kiss, letting him know that she was real and in his arms. A familiar warmth washed over them like a tidal wave and they held on tight as they were swept away by the sea that was their love for each other.

Reluctantly, Amelia pulled away from him to speak, but Jack beat her to it.

"I'm so happy you're alive!" he kissed her again, though no matter what he did, there was nothing that could fully express how glad he was. She smiled against his lips and kissed him back until they had to break away from each other.

"Jack," she giggled, "I'm trying to tell you something."

"Oh, sorry." he laughed sheepishly though kept his arms firmly wrapped around her slender frame.

"But, you saw what happened then?" she asked, noting his earlier words.

"Yes, I saw your parents crying as you were put in an ambulance." his saddened eyes brightened again, "But you're ok! You're alive!"

"Actually…I'm not."

"Y-you're…_not_?"

"No, I did die, but something happened." she smiled at him, "Something you told me years ago that would. I was given a choice between moving on to the afterlife or to remain here. I think you can guess what I chose."

Jack breathed in surprise but smiled at her and gently cupped her face with his bony hand. He then took in her appearance and noticed that her skin was paler, but nothing else had changed.

"So, that means you've chosen your Halloween Town form too, then?" he grinned.

"Yeah, this whole sorceress thing has really grown on me." she giggled, but then her smile fell a little, "But…there's a catch to staying here. I am not allowed to step foot in the human world for one hundred years."

"Hmm, think you can stand being with me in the realm of Halloween for a whole century?" he smirked.

"I'll manage." she smiled slyly and pulled him into another kiss.

--

Jack and Amelia returned to Halloween Town proclaiming the news that the Armonia sorceress was there to stay, she was home. Also, the two royals let everyone know that they were finally _together_, much to the dismay of Jack's adoring fans of the female persuasion.

Everything settled into a new sense of normalcy, with the skeleton man and the sorceress often seen hand-in-hand when they walked around town. Contrary to the Mayor's worry, Amelia was not a distraction to Jack when it came to preparing for Halloween but actually helped him, contributing many suggestions which both the king and elected official thought were good ideas.

It was now a few months since Amelia returned to Halloween Town for good, and there was something on Jack's mind that ate at him more and more as time continued to pass. One evening he was alone inside his tower, pacing incessantly back and forth with his hands behind his back and a worried expression across his skeletal face. His loyal companion, Zero, was floating nearby as his master fretted over something.

"I just don't know…What would she say? How will she react? I know that we love each other, but still…Gah why is this so hard to figure out?"

Jack sighed, stopped his pacing, reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small, black, coffin-shaped box.

"I know it's been only a few months but…" he trailed off as his mind tumbled with inner turmoil. After pondering for a few moments longer he slipped the box back inside his jacket and looked up with a determined expression. "Well Zero, wish me luck."

The ghostly canine nodded and gave him his signature smile.

'No turning back now.' Jack thought to himself as he descended the spiral staircase.

**

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Soooo how did you like the guest appearance by the Grim Reaper? Just a little tid-bit of info, Charon is actually the name of the boatman who took souls to the underworld in Greek mythology. I thought it would fit nicely into this story ;)

**YAAAAY!!! Amelia has returned yet again to Halloween Town and this time she's staying for good! *LE GASP* But wait!!! This isn't the end!? What's this??? Jack has something planned? What on earth is going to happen NEXT!!?? Check out the sneak peek for a clue ;D**


	33. When Dreams Become Reality

**I must say that a lot of you put in some pretty bold predictions in your reviews, well, now it's time to see if you were right ;)**

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Once Jack reached the bottom of the spiral stairwell, the sound of piano music reached him and a smile crossed his skeletal features as he recognized the song. _Hushabye Mountain_.

Earlier, he had told Amelia that he wanted to meet her in the practice room and for her to wear the black dress she wore on Christmas Eve. The sorceress had been very confused at his request but complied nonetheless.

Now, he quietly walked down the hall and peered into the room with the mirror-lined wall. Sure enough, there was the woman who had become the light of his life sitting at the beautiful grand piano, playing the simple song which had touched their very souls. He simply watched her for a few moments, capturing the scene in his mind. Soft brunette hair cascaded around her bare shoulders, eyes bluer than any ocean shimmered with serenity, and pale pink lips curved into a soft content smile across her gentle features. Her graceful hands danced across the keys with the pure passion of a musician. She slowed the song just slightly before she began to sing the lulling melody.

"_It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain,  
And your boat waits down by the key_.  
_The winds of night so softly are sighing,  
Soon they will fly your troubles to sea… _"

Jack could have listened to her bell-like sound which was the very heart of an Armonia for all eternity, but there was something he needed to do. Carefully, he entered the room and added his own voice to her tender song.

"_So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain,  
Wave goodbye to cares of the day,  
And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain,  
Sail far away from lullaby bay."_

Amelia had looked up at him and smiled as they sang their melodic duet. Her heart sped up as he approached her but she continued to play, loving the strange feeling that coursed through her which his mere presence caused.

"_So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain,  
Wave goodbye to cares of the day,  
And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain,  
Sail far away from lullaby bay…"_

The pianist let the last note she struck hang in the air for several seconds, letting it softly fade into nothing. She then removed her hands from the keys and beamed at the skeleton man beside her.

"I think that was the first time I didn't startle you while you were playing." Jack chuckled while she rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Well your voice was a big clue."

"Hmm, I seem to recall a time when we sang together before and you didn't realize it."

"That was years ago though."

"It still counts."

"You really know how to kill a mood."

Her statement caused him to laugh, but she was slightly taken by surprise when he gave a small bow, held out his hand to her, and said the words she had once heard in a dream.

"Would a dance make it up to you?"

A faint blush splashed across her cheeks but she smiled warmly up at him and placed her hand in his. The way his skeletal hand clasped around her own sent a pleasant chill down her spine, and he pulled her up with surprising strength. He led her to the center of the room, brought her closer to him, and snapped his fingers. The lights slowly faded as lit candles appeared floating in the air around them as the room was filled with the familiar tune of a beautiful orchestra. The two smiled at each other knowingly and began the waltz.

"You know Amelia, I don't believe I ever told you how marvelous you look in that dress." he said before he spun her around and brought her back in. A tint of pink splashed across her cheeks at his words, much to his amusement.

"N-no you didn't," she then smiled, "so, I'm assuming I look nice?"

"Beautiful, breath-taking, stunning, wonderful, perfect."

"Are you trying to get on my good side, Jack Skellington?"

"Maybe, is it working?"

"Hmm, maybe." she giggled.

They didn't speak anymore for words were no longer needed, but Amelia felt an air of familiarity surround her. She listened closely to the music which was the same as the one played at both masquerades, but then she realized why the bells were ringing in her mind. This song, _their _song, was the exact same one from her reoccurring dream from three years ago. She hoped and prayed that everything she had experienced wasn't just a dream and she wouldn't wake up as a troubled teenager. But Jack's loving gaze, his soft smile, and the feeling of his skeletal hand gently holding her own brought her back to reality.

The couple continued to dance in a comfortable silence, letting their movements express how they felt. He gazed into the deep blue oceans of her eyes and felt himself yet again being swept away by the tide. Despite Jack's own eyes being hollow, Amelia could plainly see the love he felt for her in his warm gaze. Her now undead heart swelled and her smile brightened. The skeleton man felt the same and was even more certain than ever that what he was planning to do was right.

The song faded away as their dance came to a close, though they remained in close proximity, enjoying each other's presence. Jack held out his palm facing up in the small space between them, and his hand became surrounded by a green orb. Amelia's eyes widened as she watched the spectacle and a stunning black rose appeared in his gentle grasp. A soft gasp escaped her as she marveled at its beauty, and at the fact that her dream was playing out more and more in reality began to sink in. Again the thought that she was merely sleeping crossed her mind, but then he lifted the rose and delicately placed it in her light brunette hair behind her ear. She felt his bony fingers lightly graze her skin, the feeling reminding her that it was all real, _he_ was real. The small action caused her blush to deepen just slightly and she managed to tear away from his gaze, but then her eyes fell upon their reflection in the mirror-lined wall. The beautiful black rose matched her attire so wonderfully that it would seem as though something was missing if it wasn't there. She noticed the way they fit in each other's warm embrace perfectly, as if they were truly meant to be.

To Jack, the delicate flower made the Armonia sorceress look all the more radiant, especially with the candlelight accenting her natural glow. For a moment, he couldn't believe that the young woman in his arms actually returned his feelings and they were finally together. But then he saw Amelia smile at their reflection in the glass, her deep ocean colored eyes shimmering with happiness and the love she felt for him. A smile of his own crossed his features as his own undead heart skipped a beat. He never knew that one lovely girl could have so much effect on him.

The skeleton man carefully cupped her chin in his bony hand, bringing her gaze to meet his once more. They did not need to say a word for their eyes spoke volumes for them, expressing the joy they felt from just being together. Jack took a step closer so the space between their bodies would vanish and he began to slowly lean down to her, his eyes beginning to close. Amelia felt her heart beating rapidly from both the anticipation of what was about to happen, and from the fear that she would wake up just like she always did in her dream. But then, he tenderly captured her lips. Amelia's eyes fluttered shut and gently kissed him back, now fully believing that everything that was happening to her was indeed reality. Her hands slid up to rest on his shoulders, the action causing a strange electrical shock to course through Jack's body. His arm that had rested loosely around her waist tightened, bringing her closer to him despite the space between them being gone. A small shiver ran down her spine as she felt his bony fingertips lightly brush across the skin of her cheek to caringly hold the side of her face. The two sorcerers felt the familiar wave of warmth crash over them and surround them. They poured out their love for each other in the gentle yet passionate kiss, neither wanting to let go. Jack's thumb grazed the warm skin of her cheek and he felt an odd icy sensation. He slowly and reluctantly let go of her soft lips and opened his eyes. A few small tears had escaped the hooded glistening blue pools that were her eyes and trailed down the sides of her gentle face.

"Amelia, why are you crying?" Jack asked in concern, his voice barely above a whisper. The young woman blinked a little and then smiled up at him.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so…happy. I've been worried that I was going to wake up from a wonderful dream, but this is real. I know deep in my heart, and my very soul that this isn't a dream." she said as her smile brightened. "I love you, Jack. I love you so much."

He gently kissed away the remainder of her tears, making the sorceress giggle a little. Jack smiled against her skin before pulling away to gaze into her wondrous eyes. He felt a strange tightening in his chest from slight nervousness as he thought about what he was going to do.

"Amelia, I love you more than any mere mortal, or even an immortal, could comprehend. My love for you has no limits and no bounds. I still have no idea what I did to deserve such a beautiful, loving, kind-hearted woman." he gently stroked her cheek with his skeletal thumb, "It's incredible really, how all of this happened. One day a small girl falls into the world of Halloween and then suddenly, I find myself holding that same little girl in my arms. No longer little, but now a beautiful, radiant young woman that has captivated and captured my heart in more ways than I could have ever imagined." he removed his arms from around her and gently held her hands in his. Her eyes revealed her slight confusion at his words, but they softened as she looked at him with her radiant smile, unknowingly giving him the courage he needed to continue.

"When I thought you had been kidnapped, I was stricken with such terror that I would never see you again. My heart ached and it pained me to get up every day. But then I was filled with determination to find you and rescue you because…I started to realize I had fallen in love with you." his expression then turned to that of sadness. "And when I saw your body being put into that ambulance…" he averted his gaze and tightened his grip on her hands, "I was filled with unimaginable grief. Not just my heart but my very soul had shattered and I thought I couldn't go on living. Without you in my life, I am empty. I am nothing." he met her stunned cerulean colored eyes again as his demeanor changed, "When you returned to me, I can't even describe the joy I felt. To see you, Amelia Brave, _my_ Amelia Brave, back and in my arms was the happiest moment in my life to that point." The skeleton man brought up their clasped hands and allowed himself to be swallowed by the sea that was her soul in her eyes. Her gaze held a certain glow that his words had caused, but her expression was still laced with perplexity as to what brought it on. He took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I thought I had lost you twice, and I want to make sure that never happens again." He released one of her hands and kneeled before her. He then brought out the small black coffin box out of his inside coat pocket and opened it, revealing an elegantly crafted silver ring with a blue, raindrop-shaped stone. The sorceress's eyes widened in absolute surprise, her mouth dropped, and she felt her heart leap into her throat.

"Amelia Brave, will you marry me?"

The young woman remained silent for a moment as though she was trying to believe he had actually said those words, down on one knee, and holding out a ring to her. Finally, a bright smile crossed her features as another tear of joy escaped and streamed down her face.

"Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" she cried happily and suddenly tackled him to the ground in a tight embrace with her arms wrapped around his neck.

Jack let out an _"Oof!"_ as they collided with the ground, his eyes wide in shock, but then they both laughed and gazed at each other. The Atrum sorcerer took the ring out of its box and the Armonia held out her hand to him. He slipped the ring onto her fourth finger and smiled.

"Perfect." he said softly.

Amelia gazed at the ring as it shined radiantly in the candlelight, then she looked back at the man who was to become her husband, and kissed him passionately. Jack wrapped his arms around her slender frame and kissed her back, showing her that she just made him the happiest man in the world.

After a while, they finally parted and the sorceress giggled, causing Jack to look at her questioningly. She beamed at him before speaking.

"Amelia Skellington. That has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

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Ok ok, you all hit the nail on the head. Jack proposed and of course she said yes...and glomp-tackled him XD

**Just so you know, this isn't the end just yet! We still have one more chapter to go and an epilogue so don't leave me just yet! Be sure to check out the sneak peek! Oh and if you want to see Amelia's engagement ring, check out the Fanart Gallery on the site!**


	34. Years Later

***sniffles* Well...this is...the last chapter *ANNOYING SOBBING* **

**Ok, soap opera dramatic moment over XD I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but it'll be worth it! Now it's time to FLASH FORWARD!!!**

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Jack Skellington stood next to one of the windows in his tower, gazing out at the cool night sky as snow softly fell onto the town below. His eyes were distant, as if deep in thought. A beautiful woman with long brown hair, bright ocean blue eyes, wearing a stunning royal blue gown walked up beside him.

"Are you all right, Jack?" she asked, noticing his far-away look.

"I'm fine, Amelia." he said as he turned and smiled at her. "I was just remembering the day you came back. It may have been years ago now, but it is still vivid in my mind as though it only happened yesterday." He gently held her hand in his, "I was so happy that you returned after being so scared thinking that I had lost you. That day still amazes me."

"Well of course I came back," she beamed up at him, "though death may overcome life, love transcends time."

He felt his undead heart warm at her words and they turned to gaze back out at the serene, picturesque night before them, Jack's skeletal arm wrapping gently around her waist. But the peaceful moment was shattered when a scream was heard and it kept growing louder and louder. The King and Queen of Halloween hastily turned around and saw a young human girl about eleven or so, in a red and green Christmas dress, sprint up the staircase into the room. She was frantically waving her hands above her head trying to shoo away the bats that were swarming her.

"James! Will you knock it off!?" the girl shouted, trying to prevent one of the winged creatures from getting caught in her short sandy blonde hair. She whipped around when she heard a high-pitched cackle, and her emerald green eyes glared at the skeletal boy of about the same age who appeared out of the shadows.

"Not likely!" he laughed, pointing a bony finger at her. James wore a costume of black pants, tattered brown coat, black undershirt, and an orange and black striped vest with a large spider-like tie at the base of his collar.

Jack and Amelia simultaneously rolled their eyes and the sorceress snapped her fingers, the bats which surrounded the girl suddenly vanished.

"James, how many times must we tell you to stop picking on Natalia?" the Pumpkin King stated with a stern tone as he crossed his arms.

"Hey she started it, being all Miss look-at-me-I'm-a-genius again!"

"I was only trying to warn you that you were casting that spell incorrectly and it was going to blow up in your face!"

"How would you know? You don't even have any powers!"

"Because I actually read books, including spell books, unlike you Mister I'm-going-to-do-whatever-I-want-just-because-I'm-a-sorcerer!"

"Enough." Amelia said sharply as she walked over to them, "It's Christmas Eve so you two shouldn't be fighting."

"Your mother is right," Jack nodded, walking up beside her. "James, stop using your powers to torment your sister. Natalia, don't try to correct him when he's learning spells. He will learn from his mistakes…eventually."

James glared at his father at that last comment and crossed his arms. Natalia huffed and turned her back toward her brother.

"If you two keep this attitude up, Sandy Claws won't bring you any presents tonight." the skeleton man pointed out and the expressions of the siblings fell. The two immediately turned back to their parents and apologized in unison.

"Sorry…"

"Not to us, to each other." Amelia said.

James and Natalia reluctantly faced each other and mumbled their apologies.

"That's better. Now, your mother and I need to leave soon for the party in Christmas Town and you two should to get to bed." Jack stated.

"Are you sure we can't go with you?" Natalia asked, her emerald eyes shimmering with a hint of sadness.

"I'm sorry my dear, but you're not old enough to stay out past midnight. Besides, Santa Claus knows that all of the good children are in bed when they're supposed to be." her mother pointed out.

"Alright…" the young girl agreed dejectedly.

"Now then, Zero?" Jack clapped his hands and the spectral canine lifted his head up from his basket beneath the Christmas tree. He obediently flew over to his master.

"I want you to watch over James and Natalia, so you're in charge for tonight."

"The _dog_?" the Skellington children said in chorus, looking at their father and their family pet in confusion.

"Yes, he'll make sure you two stay out of trouble." Amelia said with a smile. "Won't you, Zero?"

The ghostly canine nodded his head with his signature grin, giving a happy bark.

"Good boy." the Pumpkin Queen giggled, patting the dog on his transparent head.

"All right, well you two should head on down to your rooms and get ready for bed. We'll be back in a few hours." Jack stated.

The human girl and the skeleton boy nodded their heads and proceeded to leave the tower, descending down the spiral staircase.

"We'll be lucky if we don't find the house in ruins when we get back." the Pumpkin King chuckled with an amused smile.

"Have a little faith." Amelia said, interlacing her hand with his. "Though James does get his mischievousness from you."

"Just like Natalia has your sharp tongue." he grinned and she winked at him.

"Don't you just love our children?"

"Yes," he brought up her hand and kissed it, "just as I love you."

"Even after sixteen years you still use your same old charms."

"But they still have the same effect."

"Unfortunately yes."

He laughed and stole a quick kiss on her lips. The sorceress rolled her eyes and smiled, but she watched him in slight confusion as he walked back over to gaze out the window like before.

"Has it really been sixteen years?" he asked softly, "Seems like only yesterday…"

"That we were married?" she walked up beside him again, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"That we found out we loved each other." he turned his head to look at her as a soft smile crossed his skeletal features.

"Just like it seems only yesterday I found this magnificent place."

"I think you mean terrifying."

"Well yes, that too."

"You know, I still remember that day quite clearly, the day you came to Halloween Town."

"As do I," Amelia looked out the window with a knowing smile. She knew very well that a younger version of herself was watching them. "It is something I could never forget…"

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Ok, I know it's been a while for most of you but in that last line, Amelia is talking about when she was a little girl and she had left Halloween Town. As she is walking through the woods in Samhain, she comes across a natural spring. Curious, she looks into the water and sees Jack with a woman in a blue dress beside him. This was a moment in her future that she saw.

**All righty, well that is the official last chapter of _The Nightmare of Her Dreams _BUT WAIT don't forget the epilogue!!! I hope you guys have enjoyed this wild ride XD**


	35. Epilgoue: Jack's Ending

**Well everyone, it's been one hectic, crazy, insane, and totally awesome wild ride! I feel like we've all grown up together, watching Amelia grow up, and well...it's just one of those amazing feelings that even an author can't describe. I cannot thank you guys enough for helping me throughout this story with your encouragement, kind words, and amazing effort to keep me going and to get people to read the story. TNHD now has over 350+ reviews, more I ever thought I would get on a story.**

**I want to give a shout-out to all of you who have kept up with this story from the very beginning, thank you all for not giving up on me! And a special shout out to all of those who drew amazingly awesome fanart for me, even to you guys who unfortunately don't have scanners or a way to get the pictures uploaded to the internet, I still appreciate it!! **

**On with the epilogue...the very *sniffles* last installment...to TNHD...the last *starts sobbing* story in the...trilogy! *crying hysterically***

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A shadow envelops you and you stand in complete darkness for a moment before it begins to melt away, revealing a grey fireplace ablaze with warm comforting flames. The room you are in is round with giant windows for walls and several odd things like Halloween decorations everywhere. Your gaze then shifts back to the fireplace and you turn slightly to see a tall skeleton man in a pinstripe suit sitting in a red armchair beside the fire. It was none other than Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, and he looks to you with a wide skeletal grin.

"Glad to see you made it back." he chuckles, "I certainly hope you enjoyed Elizabeth's little tale about Amelia Brave. You know, Elizabeth once told her something the day we released her from the mirror. Her words were, 'You will become a most powerful sorceress…and possibly something more.' Well, we finally figured out her puzzling words shortly after I proposed to Amelia. She would become the Queen of Halloween." he smiles, lifting his hand to admire the gold ring around his fourth finger.

"Yes, and as the queen, our Halloween holiday has never been more horrifying. Though one year, we almost had to put-off the celebration because of a new light in our lives. You see, Amelia and I for obvious reasons can't have children and we both wanted a family. So, she worked for an entire year on a potion, researching, testing, and perfecting. The potion she created required two strands of hair, one from each of us, which extracted the traits and formed into a child. So finally…our first daughter, Natalia, was born on Christmas Eve. A few years later, our son James was born the same way."

"Now, Natalia is very interesting in that she was born with no magic at all, but, she ages quite slowly just like a sorceress would. Despite not having any powers, she is very gifted. Our Natalia is nothing short of a genius, building her own toys before she could walk, studying foreign languages as soon as she could read, and taught herself how to play violin, with a little of our help of course. After all, her mother was studying to be a music teacher." he chuckles.

"James on the other hand is a skeleton like myself as well as a talented Atrum. Only, he doesn't spend much time learning about magic as he does using it to play pranks. Ah yes, the Halloween Spirit is most definitely alive in him. Though his antics often get him into trouble, he will learn his lesson in due time. Another interesting thing about him is that he grows and ages like a normal human despite being a skeleton and a sorcerer. So, at the moment, our children look the same age, though Natalia is indeed older. Neither Amelia nor I have any idea why these odd traits are the way they are with our children, but we are happy enough to be blessed with a family." He sighs contently and stands up, glancing at the fire before he looks back at you.

"Our lives couldn't be more wonderful and I wouldn't change anything that happened in the past for it gave Amelia and I this marvelous future." he smiles his signature grin, "Hard to believe all of this began when a little girl wandered into the woods and fell into the world of the Holidays…"

_Jack kindly bid you goodbye and snapped his fingers. You are once again enveloped in shadows. Suddenly, a dim light appears in the distance and keeps growing until you find yourself in a familiar looking forest. You land within a circle of trees with an odd color of bark and a young woman's ghost fades in from the shadows. She stands in the center of the trees, her figure transparent. Her long white gown flows in a nonexistent breeze. Her hair that was once in an elegant bun hung down in loose, messy locks. __Her skin is so pale it's practically white compared to her dark, curly hair. _

_It's the spirit of Elizabeth Brave. She turns toward you and softly, yet loud enough to be heard, she speaks.  
__Though no longer part of the human world,  
__Amelia's last adventure finally unfurled.  
__She went from a timid girl, to a strong teen,  
__And finally, the undead Queen to her Pumpkin King.  
__I was so thrilled when they finally found each other,  
__Now they could live in a peaceful eternity together.  
__So many years later I thought I'd drop in,  
__And there I find the two Skellington children.  
__A young girl who looked so much like her mother,  
__And a young boy, a skeleton like his father.  
__So then I asked Amelia, "Do you remember the child,  
__The one who was so meek and mild,  
__Who wandered into the world of Halloween,  
__Only to be mistaken as a newcomer of screams.  
__And if you could step back to that fateful night,  
__Would you let her disappear from sight,  
__To enter a haunted place through the door of fright?"  
__She looked back to Jack, the boy, and the girl,  
__The thoughts of 'what if' going a-whirl.  
__She then smiled, just like the Pumpkin Queen I knew,  
__Then turned and asked softly of me,  
_"_Wouldn't you?" _

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Well, that is the very end my dear friends. I hope you all enjoyed _The Nightmare Trilogy_.

**Special Credits**

**Crimson and Jack: You guys have been there since as far back as I can remember with this series and you have helped me so so much. You've helped me through some of the roughest times by cheering me up with some of our wacky conversations. You have given me such wonderful feedback with practically every chapter and it always made me smile whenever I read your reviews, which were mini-stories in themselves. Also, you were one heck of an awesome editor when it came to some of my serious writer's block issues which usually turned out to be me just worrying over nothing XD**

**Elizabeth: You are the world's best editor/mind-reader. You always seemed to know just what sort of problem I was having when it came to my writer's block and knew how to fix it. Our thought-level when it comes to writing is so similar it's scary XD Also, I love the way you critiqued my chapters in my reviews, and often gave me ideas I wish I had thought of sooner to put in the story gosh dang you! Lol! **

**Halloween29, Jason, and Sarah: You guys flipping ROCK! You are the definition of super-fans with your awesome cosplaying of my own characters, advertising for me in the most interesting (and effective) ways. Also, veeeerry ironic that a certain two of you turned out to be your own Jamelia story ;D I especially enjoyed your own little "episodes" in your reviews which always made me smile or giggle. I love all three of you to death so thank you so much for being there for me!**

**Manderss.x.x: Thanks for being an awesome friend as well as an awesome artist! I enjoyed coloring your fanart greatly =D I'm glad to know that I can make someone spaz so much when it comes to posting a new chapter XD I love you hun!!! **

**To all of my regular reviewers: Thank you all BUNCHES for reviewing practically every single chapter and letting me know there are other people like me out there who are insane enough to pair together an OC and a main movie character in the most unlikely way. I never thought the Trilogy would gain such a following and you guys have made this authoress really REALLY happy. It was you who kept my sanity during some of the most hectic times of my life and brightening my day whenever I recieved a review. Really, if it wasn't for you guys, I probably never would have survived high school!!! **

**Anyway, sorry all of my thank you's pretty much ended up being longer than the epilogue itself XD Just a reminder in case you've forgotten from reading mentioned speeches, it was about the Skellington children Natalia and James, as told by Jack. **

**Thank you all SO SO SO SO SO SO MUUUUUUCH!!!!! **

**Forever your crazy insane authoress - Mystic Spirit Angel**


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